The Veela Persuasion
by B-Rated
Summary: What if Voldemort had been completely defeated during the first war? Harry, Ron, and Hermione would of gotten to experience a completely normal seven years at Hogwarts. Something isn't completely normal though...continued inside. RW/DM
1. Chapter 1

What if Voldemort had been completely defeated during the first war? Harry, Ron, and Hermione would of gotten to experience a completely normal seven years at Hogwarts. Something isn't completely normal though. Draco Malfoy turns out to be holding some mysterious powers over people. Not book compatible. RW/DM

Hello there. This is my new story. They might be a little OOC from time to time but I think Draco maintains most of his snootiness. I hope you enjoy.

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><p>Draco sighed and put his chin onto the heal of his hand. The train ride to Hogwarts had become extremely boring. While others were chatting and catching up with friends, for Draco it was the same every year.<p>

Draco had become accustom to the attention that came with being a veela but that didn't mean it was any less annoying.

"Draco, could I play with your hair again?" Pansy asked.

"No. Go away, Parkinson," Draco replied curtly.

On most occasions, such as this one, he would use the attention he gained to make time pass. The only problem was that his usual victim was not at the moment present.

Draco referred to them as victims, though it was uncontrollable. These boys, these hormonal teenage boys, Hogwarts was swarming with them, and he a walking pheromone. More often then not a stumble or collision with one in a hallway would result in a snog beyond compare.

He couldn't help it. He was as much victim as they were.

He had found, in all six years at Hogwarts, that this power did not affect all, only a good number. There were some he couldn't get to glance his way even if he was offered to himself on a bed of satin.

Namely, the one he could only deem worthy of him, Harry Potter. Harry was a simple boy but he was, well, not at all unfortunate looking, and Draco liked pretty things. Harry had a backbone, which was rare among the boys of their first year. So naturally Draco first offered friendship.

With his dismissal came hatred. Then came his full transformation the summer after forth year. Draco tried again to woo the boy just to say he had him. Draco didn't really want him but because he had been denied him he was determined to have him. Unfortunately, Harry just looked at him like the Malfoy had gone mad, summoned his reluctant friend and walked on.

This inspired an even stronger will to try and steal Potter and crush his rotten little heart.

"I'm going to try and find Zabini," Draco announced before standing. He walked through the railcar and passed into the next one.

A narrow hall with the doors closed to the left. He began to make his way down to the end of the car when a door opened and another boy stepped into the hall.

He approached to go into where Draco had just left.

Draco sighed, knowing the look he received well. He stepped aside to let the boy pass but with their close proximity what was to come was inevitable.

He was pushed against the wall, a body firmly pressed to his own.

"How was your summer, Harry?" Hermione asked after her story had ended.

"The Dursleys went on vacation, so mostly quiet. How was yours, Ron?"

"What?" Ron blinked like he had just been pulled up from an interesting thought.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

"Motion sickness," Ron supplied a little awkwardly. "I think I'll go for a walk." He stood and opened the door to step into the narrow hallway.

Draco hummed something between them. The boy held his sides, pressed him harder into the wall. Draco's hands moved to his neck. The tongue moving against his own grew in ferocity. Draco grabbed the pair of shoulders and pushed him back. "That's quite enough of that. Move along," he ordered.

The other frowned but did move on down the car while Draco turned the opposite direction. Blocking his path now was another boy, looking rather surprised about the scene he stumbled into.

Draco cleared his throat and waited. He looked over the familiar face. He knew him as a Weasley and as a friend of Potter's that was all he knew and all he cared to know. "What?"

Ron corrected his features. "You were snogging a first year."

"First year?" Draco looked towards the door as though he could see through to the railcar the boy was in now. "He didn't kiss like one." He looked back at the redhead.

Ron looked down at his feet.

Draco took this as a sign this boy was immune to his persuasion as well. Otherwise they wouldn't be standing here in half awkwardness.

"You do that a lot don't you?" Ron asked. "Snog strangers."

"What of it?" Draco crossed his arms.

Ron shook his head and opened a door to disappear inside the cabin.

Draco blew out an insulted breath and decided to go back to his own seat as well.

"That was a short walk," Hermione commented.

"I didn't go far," Ron said taking back his previous spot. "He's snogging first years now."

"Who?" Harry asked, confused.

"Malfoy," Ron answered.

Harry snorted and shook his head.

"He's really changed hasn't he?" Hermione said. "I remember when he used to just be rude, as apposed to rude and disgusting."

"Yeah…" Ron agreed, turning towards the window.

"Ow!" Draco jumped and shoved the other boy away. "What did I say about biting, Blaise."

He quietly smirked in return.

"You're good-looking with a mark, Draco," Pansy swooned and made to touch the spot.

Draco slapped her hand away. "I'm always good-looking."

He turned towards the window again. Blaise leaned towards him. Pansy put her chin on her hands, leaning on her elbows, continuously staring at the blond.

They weren't always like this. Somewhere towards the middle of the year their attention on him would wane. Pansy would run around with other boys and Blaise become more focused on school work. Crabbe and Goyle would stay but more because they had no one else than being entranced by him. They never seemed too captured with him anyway.

His mother explained it as destination. People who spent the most time with him became less vulnerable to the veela persuasion.

He gained the blood from his father's side but Lucius would never explain a thing about it. He was much too much a stickler to bother.

Besides men didn't have discussions in length about sexuality.

"Blaise, what did I tell you!" Draco turned sharply towards him.

"Come on, Dray," he said softly, "I know you like it."

Draco released a disgusted huff and began to push his way out of the booth. "I'll find someone else to sit with!"

"You can sit with me," Pansy said, moving aside and patting the bench.

Draco ignored her and kept walking.

It wasn't that he was against members of female gender. He understood that eventually he would have to marry one and produce an heir but right now with the combination of his own age and intensity of their aggression, even the shyest of boys could provide a fun venture.

Crabbe and Goyle resided only a few meters away. Draco stopped beside one of their benches. "Move," he ordered. Goyle did so, sliding closer to the window. Draco fell into the seat beside him. "I'm obligated to ask how your summers were," Draco said. He really could care less. The Malfoy's were extremely close to other pure-blood families, it was how they survived politically. They had practically been reared together. So he knew how Crabbe and Goyle's summers were perfectly well.

Crabbe shrugged and Goyle shook his head. So Draco went on. "I noticed neither of you at Mother's garden party."

"After the last one we weren't allowed to go," Vincent answered.

Draco's retort died on his tongue. He fell back into his seat crossing his arms.

He remembered what had happened. He had only had his powers a year and hadn't been exposed to too many adults. His mother apologized and said it hadn't been his fault but his father was livid, either at Draco or at the married man Draco had accidentally enticed was never known.

Would Draco of been a girl it wouldn't be his fault at all. A grown man should have better control over himself, veela or not.

Draco looked at his comrades. "Any plans this year?"

They both shook their heads.

Draco decided he'd rather of been Blaise's chew toy as apposed to enduring this boredom. Although there was a certain amount of comfort in their company. For as dull as they were, they were the first friends he had ever known.

Draco wasn't much looking forward to the coming term, nor what came after. His father had aligned a job in the ministry for him, should his N.E.W.T.s prove well. Draco was rather unenthusiastic about it all.

He really only had one goal, make Harry Potter miserable.

Once the train reached the platform he happened to step off at the same time as the ungrateful Gryffindor. "Potter."

"Malfoy."

Then Draco noticed something. Something he couldn't believe he hadn't seen before. The Weasley didn't make eye contact. Maybe it was meaningless but it was strange. Draco decided to test him thoroughly. How absolutely wonderful it would have been to wind up snogging the best mate of his enemy right in front of him!

Draco took his trunk and made to pass the trio, purposefully colliding his shoulder with Weasley's.

The boy gasped and grabbed his arm. Draco smirked and continued on. Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind him.

So maybe it was nothing.

"What a jerk," Hermione said. "You alright, Ron?"

Ron was pulled away from watching the Slytherins walk off the platform. "Huh? Oh, yeah." He reached for his trunk.

"Maybe we won't have many classes with him this year," Harry said hopefully, beginning to lead them towards the carriages.

"Did either of you notice the mark on his neck?" Ron asked timidly.

"Gross!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Harry," Ginny called. "May I join you three?"

Harry nodded. He held out a hand to help her into the carriage. Ron noticed a strange exchange between them. It was wordless but it was there.

Draco sat down at the Slytherin table with his companions. "How was your summer, Blaise?"

"My stepfather died," Blaise replied.

"Didn't she just marry him last Christmas? She must of gotten bored of him quick," Draco replied.

Blaise smirked wordlessly.

"You haven't asked about my summer, Draco," Pansy pouted.

"Because I don't care," he replied coldly.

"You're so mean," she sighed.

"Oh, please. You're not as hurt as you fane to be."

"You're right, I'm not." She bounced up, leaning onto her elbows. "Mother and Father took us to the beach and there were these fat and ugly muggles there. It was a riot! You should of seen them trying to swim."

Draco turned towards the rest of the table looking for a pliable excuse not to hear the rest of the story.

"Adrian almost had to repeat this year." He heard someone say.

Draco leaned forward to look down the table. "Again?"

"His N.E.W.T.s were dreadful!"

"Took one too many bludgers to the head," one joked.

Draco laughed.

Pansy took this opportunity to kiss his cheek. He snapped towards her to express his dislike when she met his lips.

Girls were affected differently by a veela presence. Most would simply blush and giggle, fawn over him, admire him, they were slightly more reserved. Actually in comparison they were much more reserved. Though there were some aggressive ones, Pansy happened to be one of those.

Draco found that kissing girls was different. He had to be the aggressor or it wasn't exciting at all and that was the thing, he didn't want to kiss anyone.

He slammed his hands on the table and stood up to tower over her. "Damn it, Parkinson! How many times do I have to tell you-"

"Attention everyone! Attention!" McGonagall stood at the podium.

Draco quietly sat back down.

"Our new students have arrived. I want all of you to be on your best behavior and welcome them as you were," she said in a warning manor. She stepped down and went towards the doors.

Draco turned to his friends. "Glad that's this is the last year I'll have to deal with her."

They all snickered.

"This is so exciting," Hermione said giddily.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"This is our last year," she scolded. "The last we'll get to see the sorting ceremony."

"They're just first years," Ron argued.

"Well, some of us happen to enjoy the enrichment of new minds."

"You just like showing off how much you know to these 'new minds'," Ron retorted.

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms.

Ron laughed. "Isn't that what she does, Harry?" He turned to see his friend staring down the table. "Harry?"

The brunette looked his direction. "What?"

"Nothing. Who were you staring at?" Ron tried to look around him.

"Ron!" Hermione suddenly shouted.

He jerked back towards her. "What the bloody-"

The hall became quiet as the giant doors opened.

Draco rested his chin on his hand watching the first years ogle at everything from the ceiling to the professors. "Mud-bloods," he muttered.

Blaise smiled.

"Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We will now begin the sorting ceremony. After I call your name you will come forward and the sorting hat will place you into your houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin." She unraveled the scroll.

"Looks like a short list this year," Ron pointed.

"Sshhh!" Hermione ordered.

The first student was sorted. Pansy made a comment about the girl's unfortunate appearance. The group laughed.

If Draco was looking forward to anything at all it would be the ability to boss students around as a prefect. He had sent in his application in the summer and had pressed Blaise to do the same. At the very least they could snog in privacy after everyone had gone to bed.

Under the table he felt a hand put itself on his knee. Draco reached down to brush it away. That would be the negative aspect to spending some time alone with Blaise. He never seemed to know when to stop.

Kissing was only exciting for a few fleeting seconds to him. Once the other participant touched him this way, or moved that, it just died. It was incredibly head spinning. One moment Draco would be feeling their excitement, feeding on it, feeling it himself, and then poof, nothing.

With Blaise especially. Draco considered it desensitization on his end. The more he was exposed to the same person the less he wanted them.

It was just nice to be reminded how attractive he was seen by others and it only lasted until the middle of the term anyway.

Most of all Draco was looking forward to the prefect dorm. Since he's become a full fledged veela, bunking with a group of these teenage boys has become almost unbearable. He felt like eyes were always on him, and contrary to what his mother tried to teach him growing up, it wasn't always a good thing.

The first night was always the worst. Fresh adolescents, coming back after a summer of voice changes and growth spurts. It didn't matter where he was on the developmental scale because in the same room was a boy lower.

Somehow he managed to absolutely refuse them, with the exception of the train. Draco still maintained that that had not been a first year. To him they were completely unappealing. Running into one of them in the hall usually resulted in a digging insult and stern glare, no matter how long they ogled at him first. In a single dorm with a handful mixed in with the current Slytherins, though, to him the room vibrated. Even in their sleep he could feel it, their want.

It was torturous.

He could care less about them and their desires. Why did they have to be so selfish?

Draco laid in bed staring at the canopy thinking these thoughts. The dorm was full of soft lulled breaths as well as dream idled mumblings.

With a sigh Draco rolled out of bed and into a pair of slippers.

He wasn't quite sure as to where he was venturing this late at night but he figured it must be better than where he was coming from.

Draco walked out of the Slytherin common area and into the dungeon corridor. It was much colder but he simply put his arms around himself and started in one direction.

Maybe a trip to the kitchens. Though he did hate house elves.

He rounded a corner, deciding to do a loop and head back to bed. Instead he was faced with a luminescent wand and boy with red hair. "What are you doing here?" He demanded as though he had authority over the other.

"I'm a prefect," the Weasley stated. "So what are you doing here is more like."

Draco crossed his arms tighter to deny a shiver. "Incase it's slipped that dull brain of yours we're no where near Gryffindor tower."

"Professor Snape said there was no applicants from Slytherin so other houses have to pick up slack," Ron shared.

"Filthy liar," Draco said, though not towards Ron. He began walking down the corridor, planning on leaving him to his rounds.

"You applied then?" Ron followed.

"Me and Zabini. Why would he make other houses do it if we volunteered?"

"Maybe he thinks you'll just use it as an excuse to snog after dark," Ron replied as an insult.

"Bugger off, Weasley. It's not like it's my fault."

"Not your fault!" Ron argued with a laugh. "You think it's not your fault?"

"It's not!" Draco stopped and turned towards him.

"Please, you snog anyone that asks."

"They never ask," Draco replied with a hard tone. He turned back, hoping again to be left alone.

"Wait, what do you mean they never ask?" Ron asked.

Draco shrugged and turned the corner again. "Why are you following me?"

"You're not supposed to be out of bed," Ron justified.

"Fine whatever."

They walked on in silence for a few paces.

"You can't believe that people just kiss you because you're _that_ handsome."

"Handsome? You think so?" Draco smirked, though he was just toying. Never would he stoop so low as to the level of a Weasley.

"Well- I guess- I just meant they can't just kiss you for no reason."

"Suppose they have a reason then," Draco suggested carelessly.

They were quiet again.

Ron noticed the goose flesh of the Malfoy's arms. "Are you cold?"

"No, Weasley, it's hotter than a dragon's womb down here. Yes, I'm cold."

"Actually," Ron began while pulling his arm out of the black school robe, "a dragon's internal temperature doesn't vary much from their environment. They're cold blooded. The fact they breath fire is irrelevant, completely different organ. Here."

"What do you expect me to do with that?"

"Wear it," Ron said simply.

"That ratty old thing? I'd rather freeze."

"Fine, suit yourself." Ron slung it over his shoulder. "Where was I?"

"Muttering nonsense about dragons," Draco grumbled and started down the corridor once more.

"Oh." Ron was quiet.

"How do you know so much anyway? I thought you were as dumber than a troll." Draco's hands rubbed his arms.

"My older brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania."

"Well if he's burnt to a crisp there's plenty to spare." Draco smiled at his own joke. He shuddered violently, this teeth chattering. He rounded, yanking the outer robe from the Weasley. "Say a word and I will hex you."

Ron smirked but didn't say anything.

Draco shoved his arms into the sleeves. "You're a bloody ogre," he said referring to the size.

"Used to be Bill's."

"Weasley, I don't care to learn the details of your gigantic family or their occupations, or anything else. I am going to finish this loop, and then go back to bed, got it?"

Ron didn't say anything so Draco continued walking.

"So what's their reason?"

"You're insufferable." Draco hadn't told anyone of the veela he was. It was bad enough to have such an animal in the family line to begin with and now he was a half-blood because of it. It was disgusting.

"Fine, give me back my robe."

"Then you can find your own way out of the dungeons," Draco replied. He had guessed by the Weasley's newfound loyalty to the only thing that walked, talked, and stood upright was because he was lost.

"I'll be found by morning."

"You want to bet on that? Although either way I'll loose. If you're found I owe you and if not I couldn't collect."

"I think I'll mention to Snape how you did apply. I really hate it down here."

"Well, then we couldn't meet like this, could we, Weasley," Draco remarked sarcastically.

"No, I'll probably be sent down here to make sure you and Zabini aren't up to something."

"I already told you it's not my fault," Draco huffed.

"Right, because you just make every bloke out to snog you."

"Why is that so inconceivable? Don't you want to snog me, Weasley?" Draco also ventured a guess by Ron's suddenly considerate nature.

"Well, I- That's just- I'm not snogging you, Malfoy!"

"No, you are not," Draco agreed. He rounded the final corner to head back to the Slytherin dorms.

The only sounds between them was their footsteps until Ron spoke. "They never ask?"

"They never ask, they never give gestures, and never consider a monogamous relationship."

"So they really do just kiss you for no reason?"

"I _said_, suppose they have reason," Draco ordered.

Ron seemed to think on this a moment. "Malfoy, why are you walking around the castle at night?"

Draco sighed. "Because it's the only time I can be alone. Just so you are aware, you are ruining it."

"Well, we must be getting close. These halls are lit."

"Turn out your light, Weasley," Draco commanded. His feet stopped suddenly.

"Why?"

"You'll leave me here." Draco pulled off Ron's robe to give it back. "Turn out your light and follow the torches out of the dungeons. I assume you can find your way after that."

"Yeah."

"Very well. Good night," Draco said curtly, ushering the other boy out of the area.

"Yeah," Ron said rather stupidly and walked on. He sighed to himself.

Ron got back to the dorm to as Harry was sitting on his bed and kicking off his shoes. "How was your night?"

"Quiet," Ron answered and made to do the same.

After that Ron became suddenly more aware of things. For instance, right now. He, Harry, and Hermione, were sitting on a bench in the hall. Harry and Hermione were whispering about something Ron knew he wasn't supposed to hear.

They tended to do that a lot, cut him out of conversations. He felt like they were hiding something from him and it must have been something important. None the less he pretended not to hear a single word and look off at something else, most times that was actually what he was doing.

At this point in time he was looking across the large corridor at a group of Slytherins.

Draco sat himself on the ledge of one of the windows, his friends fell in beside him. Ron watched Pansy Parkinson grab his hand and put his arm over her shoulder. The blond ignored her and continued talking to someone else. They seemed to having a wonderful chat while Parkinson played with his hand.

It was so strange, the way she linked their fingers and stared at them as if Draco was a new accessory she had yet to get used to and the way Draco acted as if this wasn't happening at all.

The boy Draco was talking to walked away. Draco shook off the girl with some sort of comment and jumped down from the ledge.

"We should head to class," Hermione suggested. Though what she said was usually an order. She stood and picked up her books.

Ron kept his eyes on the Slytherins.

"We hate them too, Ron but-"

It all happened so quickly. A pair of third years rounded the corner, one smacking right into the group. Almost the whole mass of them stumbled, a few dropped their things. The whole of them erupted into charitably nasty remakes with the exception of Draco.

In the center of the recovering Slytherins was a blond laying on the floor, put there by the collision, and the third year on top of him. They were snogging, quite heavily in fact.

"Disgusting," Hermione said. "Come on, Ron."

Draco shoved the boy off of him rather roughly. He stood up and brushed himself off and ordered the third year away.

His friends all dispersed like nothing had happened.

The two Hufflepuffs laughed and ran on like they had just scored one hundred points.

Draco was seen as a prize then?

Goyle held out Draco's books to him and the Malfoy snatched them a little violently. He looked around the hallway with a sneer, daring anyone to say anything.

His grey eyes landed on Ron. His eyebrows grew and inquisitive edge to his anger. Ron quickly turned towards Hermione. "Let's go." He picked up his bag and followed his friends down the hall.

Draco watched the redhead look away and slide off the bench. "Odd," he said quietly.

"Come on, Dray," Pansy urged.

Draco fell into step behind her. He watched her sway and bounce as she walked. "What are you so giddy about?"

Instead of answering she took his hand and lead him into their classroom. "Sit with me, Draco."

A group of girls had already gathered at the front tables. Draco dropped his things at a desk in the back, knowing that if he didn't do this first he would have to endure Pansy dragging him to them. She abandoned him to go talk to them.

He sighed gratefully and sank into a seat. He opened his book and put a fresh quill in the ink.

Ron leaned onto his books, staring out the window. Hermione smacked his elbow out from under him. "Pay attention."

Ron sighed and picked up his quill.

She was getting exceptionally bossy lately. It was like she owned him or something.

Once she started taking notes excessively he put his chin on his hand and turned his attention back to the window.

Draco had never been asked, never been given a gesture, never been in a relationship… They just attacked him? That third year in the hall just kissed him for no reason?

Well, no they had a reason but apparently that was a secret.

"Ron," Hermione scolded under her breath. "I won't be letting you copy my notes."

"Yes you will," Ron argued sourly.

She went quiet and quickly set back to work, afraid she had missed something.

Ron rolled his eyes.

Draco glanced up, continually ignoring the presence at his side.

"You know you're cute when you concentrate real hard like that."

"Please," Draco scoffed as if to say 'I am much more than cute.' "Bother someone else."

In Pansy's absence a boy had taken her before claimed seat. He was rather… grotesque. Draco had received plenty of propositions before. Some awkward, some overbearing, this one was the later.

"I see no one else worth bothering," the boy argued.

He was a sixth year, Ravenclaw, bright but extremely crude. They all assumed he was easy to get in with because he had apparently snogged everyone in the school twice over.

Draco laughed dryly. "I'm sorry I think we have a misunderstanding. I don't care if you bother someone else, stop bothering me."

"But you smell so good…" He leaned in.

Draco squirmed as he breathed against his neck, began kissing it even. Draco pushed at him but he was latched on, holding the back of Draco's chair.

Draco gasped breathing in the sent of his latest victim. The desire he had for him and knowing he wasn't going to stop until he got at least a taste.

Draco thought it would get easier the older he got. That he could control it more. Instead it seemed it was getting worse.

Ron wondered if anyone else noticed how Draco was used. He doubted it because he had just noticed recently. He wondered what Hermione would say if he brought it up. Though he supposed it would be best not to. Harry and Hermione hated the Slytherin with a burning passion. Draco was a royal arse, always making fun of them in their first years, but he hardly spoke to them since their fifth year.

It was just a smoldering, subtle hatred between them now.

Ron looked over at Harry. He was a couple seats away, lazily following the lesson. Ginny sat next to him. She said something and they both laughed quietly.

Ron was glad his best mate and little sister got along, but did they have to get along this much?

They were squeezing him out too.

The class ended with Hermione scolding him for falling asleep. She gathered her things, hugging her books and leading them towards the next.

Ron walked besides Harry. "Can you take the dungeons tonight?"

"I thought it was Anthony's turn," Harry said.

"He asked me to do it again. Something about a paper."

"Already? It's only the first day of classes," Harry argued.

"I heard Snape's being brutal this year," Hermione added.

"Well, anyway I can't. You'll have to, Ron," Harry said.

"Wait, why can't you?" Ron demanded.

"I just can't." Harry shrugged and walked ahead to Hermione's side.

Ron followed behind them as left out as he had been before

He couldn't tell Harry he was talking to Malfoy. Harry had some kind of personal row going with him. Whatever it was Ron didn't want to upset it farther.

"So they really don't ask do they? They just kiss you," Ron walked with his hands in his pockets.

Draco sighed, his hand ran along the dungeon wall as they went.

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"It's… annoying, yes," Draco shrugged.

Earlier Ron had sat down against a wall in the dungeon. Walking around the corridors got him lost so he decided just to stay in the torch lit hall and report no activity.

Then a painting down the hall opened. He and Draco exchanged their 'go away's and 'bugger off's before something resembling a conversation took form.

"You know, Malfoy, your aren't so bad when people aren't around," Ron shared.

Draco snorted but it sounded like a soft laugh. "I suppose you're tolerable, Weaselbee."

Maybe being friends with Draco wouldn't be that bad. They couldn't be seen together at all during the day, continue to exchange scathing remarks in the chances they did, and talk to their friends about how much they hated each other but at night they could sit up and talk.

"Hey, Ron," Harry followed him down the hill to Herbology. Ron stopped so they could talk. "I can take the dungeons tonight."

"It's alright," Ron assured.

"I thought you hated it down there," Harry said.

"I like it now," Ron shrugged and kept walking.

He only half-heartedly listened as Neville went on about dragon fertilizer and it's various different kinds, specific to one magic plant versus another. He was still thinking about the night before.

Neville never seemed to shut up. He could ramble on forever about plants. Ron could stand it though. Hermione had trained him well in the art of tuning people out.

He figured if he wanted to get anywhere in the class he's take Neville as his partner.

Walking out of the green houses, Neville was still going on about some cannibal man-eating something or other. Ron looked off at the path back to the castle.

He stopped briefly, noticing a plant growing at the edge of the building. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Neville stopped beside him. "Collin knocked its pot out of the window last year. Never got cleaned up."

"What is it?"

"White puffapod, probably near the end of its bloom too. Pity." He shrugged and walked on.

Ron didn't know why, actually he knew perfectly well why, he picked one of the flowers. He managed to put it in his bag before anyone noticed.

After dinner the Gryffindor common room was filled. Hermione was forcing her notes on him while Harry and Ginny were playing wizard chess.

"Hermione," Ron addressed. "Is there a reason they've been spending so much time together?"

"Who? Harry and Ginny, they're friends, Ron," her voice was too high to be telling the truth.

He sighed, deciding not to bother. "I'm going to go do rounds." He picked up his school things to take up to his and Harry's dorm.

Gryffindor usually left the portrait open during down times like this. Other houses were welcome, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw the same. Ron had never tried Slytherin, never had a reason to.

"A little too early for rounds isn't it?" Harry asked. He had apparently followed Ron up the stairs.

"I'm going to go talk to Snape about appointing someone from Slytherin. Even if they are second rate it's better than none."

"You think he'll listen to you?"

"Worth a shot." Ron shrugged. "Night, mate." He walked around Harry to leave.

"Ron!" Hermione crossed the common room and fell into step beside him. "Can I come with you?"

"Why?" He asked stepping out through the portal.

"Because some of the oldest parts of the castle are down there and-"

"The whole castle's old," Ron retorted and walked on without her.

Draco sat on the Slytherin sofa with his head in Pansy's lap while she played with his hair. He was tired. Potions today had been grueling.

He unfolded his legs to spread out fully, resting them on Blaise's lap. Blaise rose and eyebrow over his book but didn't say anything.

Draco was a little curious as to what would happen if he just gave someone like Blaise the green light. It had never crossed his mind before, the prospect of sex with one of these veela influenced sad saps. Worse of all, what came into his thought process more than his sudden appetite was the Weasley boy.

His disgusting red hair and feckless, wretched hand-me-downs and ratty robes that had smelt sinful on Draco's shoulders and that promise of a keeper's body underneath them.

Draco groaned in disgust with himself and put his arm on his forehead.

"Are you sick, Draco?" Pansy asked with concern.

"Shut up," he bit back. What was wrong with him?

Zabini put a hand on his knee, a little closer to his thigh but still. Instead of the urge to push it away came a wish it was someone else's, namely an ill manicured freckled one.

"I'm turning in," Draco announced before rolling off of them.

The common room was a little too congested for his liking but right now he'd prefer it to the alternative, a crowded dorm room.

He pulled off his school robe and haphazardly tossed it onto his bed, picked up his towel and walked into the showers.

Ron watched a pair of Ravenclaw students walk out from behind the Slytherin painting. He passed them as they walked down the corridor. It was getting close to curfew, he assumed they were heading back to Ravenclaw quarters so said nothing.

In comparison the towers were a lot livelier than the dungeons. Right now Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were exchanging loud 'good night's and 'see you tomorrow's. Here was much quieter and almost sterner. Ron supposed it could have something to do with the heads of house.

He walked around a bit until only the main halls were lit, even then they seemed impressively dark.

Draco laid awake in his bed like he had done many a night before. He felt the room buzzing around him, this time it seemed to seep into him, create a warm intoxicating haze in his head.

He shook it off. Something was seriously the matter with him and it was apparent the source needed to be gotten rid of.

Ron watched Draco approach, his blond hair seeming translucent in the weak light. Then he realized it was wet and Draco seemed a little flustered.

"What do you want now?" Draco crossed his arms.

His sudden edge was surprise given their previous conversations. Maybe it would be best if Ron just left and forgotten about their prospects. "I talked to Snape. You and Zabini will start tomorrow. We can go back to hating each other."

Draco watched Ron walk on down the corridor feeling very strange, like the Weasley was walking away with a piece of him.

"Wait." He took a few quick steps to catch up to him. Whatever it was that was happening to him it was extremely curious. "Why?"

Ron shrugged. "So we could leave the dungeons. If you have Zabini doing rounds down here and Harry or Hermione's in the tower we practically have the whole castle."

"Oh," Draco became uncharacteristically quiet. "Hold on." He smiled. "You want to meet me around the castle in the dead of night… doesn't that sound like something else, Weasley?"

"You mean like… dating?" Ron asked a little awkwardly. "Yeah, I guess… Would that be so horrible?"

Draco looked at him curiously. He had never been asked such a thing, and it wasn't a bad feeling to be asked such a thing. "You do realize I still can't control it. They'll still snog me."

"It's okay," Ron assured. "I know you don't really like them."

"Fine… As long as it stays secret," he said warningly, adopting his threatening tone.

"Of course," Ron agreed.

"I mean it. Not even Potter or Granger can know."

Ron nodded. He was actually looking forward to having his own secret like everyone else. "We aren't as close as we were."

"You're kidding, you three are always together."

Ron shrugged a little. "I think something going on they don't want me to know."

"Huh."

"So, can I ask you something…?" Ron rubbed the back of his neck.

Draco looked at him with a smirk, enjoying his discomfort.

"May I… kiss you?"

Draco was visibly torn. With everything he had been feeling lately he didn't want to risk being victim to himself against the dungeon wall. Yet the idea was incredibly exciting. "Why?"

"Because I want to."

"So what's keeping you from doing it without asking?"

"Incase you don't want me to," Ron answered. He felt like he was having to explain this a little too much.

"What if I said I wasn't sure if I wanted you to or not?"

"Then I wouldn't."

"That would probably be best," Draco stated. Draco leaned against the cold wall and looked off down the corridor. Then he shook his head with a strange groan. "No." He looked back at the Gryffindor. "You may."

Ron slowly approached, nervously glancing up, looking for protest until their lips touched, brushed. Not hard, not pressing, just touching. Draco's eyes slid closed, it was the most exciting thing he had ever felt. It was like a hot spark through his core, it was purely nerve racking and completely wonderful. They broke away after what felt like a lifetime. Draco fell back onto his heels. He looked stupefied.

They both breathed a soft sigh like it was the first ever and donned similar smiles. Draco stepped to the side and started backwards. "I'll meet you tomorrow. By the staircase."

Ron nodded.

Draco turned towards the Slytherin common room. Now he had much more to think about. His want and his not wanting to want.

Finally he settled to travel this road and see where it went. The Weasley was just another teenage boy caught in his web and he would enjoy him as long as he was there. Maybe if he played things right he could use him to get to Potter.

For some reason getting to sleep this night was a lot easier than others. It was as if he couldn't feel the other boys anymore.

The strange events didn't end there. Indeed Snape had come to him and Zabini during breakfast in the Great Hall. He gave them their prefect badges and a stern warning before walking on.

Classed proceeded though when someone was drawn to him he could much more easily ignore them. Even in the hall someone tried to kiss him and he easily shoved them aside before they even touched.

Maybe he was finally learning how to control it. Then came Transfigurations. McGonagall was the only teacher smart enough to assign him a seat in the front to himself.

He weaved through the moving chairs as other students took their seats to get to his own. Something curious resided on his desk this day. He stared at it and then set his book down to retrieve it.

A flower, simple, white, missing a pedal and a little abused but a token none the less. He looked around the room trying to find the contributor. Instead it was just a mass of students talking amongst themselves.

He looked back at this pitiful gesture from some unknown admirer. He raised it up, breathing in it's soft sent as well as an oddly familiar one. For some reason he recalled the Weasley and wearing his robe.

Draco looked up again this time looking for one in particular.

Transfiguration was the only class Ron had with the Slytherin. He had made sure Harry and Hermione were busy when he put the flower on Draco's desk; just like he knew they were too occupied whispering when he and Draco smiled at one another before the blond took his seat and class began.

Apparently this action sparked a rumor. By the end of the day Seamus came up to them in the common room. "Did you hear? Malfoy's got himself a boyfriend."

Ron stared at his work intently.

"Why would we care?" Hermione asked.

Seamus pulled over a chair sitting in it backwards as he tended to do. "Come on, the whore of Hogwarts is no longer." He laughed.

Ron's fist clenched under the desk.

"And if he does continue to snog everyone then we'll hear about their break up. We've got a pool going. Anyone interested? Ron?"

The Weasley shoved his chair away from the desk. "I'm going to do rounds."

"You don't have to," Hermione argued snapping her book closed and jumping up. "Harry and I are-"

Ron picked up his things to take upstairs like he had the night before. "Then I'll just go for a walk."

"But it's almost curfew. If you're not scheduled your not supposed to be out!" Hermione argued hard, following him towards the stairs.

"What has gotten into you?" He asked opening the dorm door.

She looked past him. "Oh. Um… never mind." She went back down the stairs.

Ron shook the encounter off, abandoned his school things and went to go meet Draco. He rounded one set of stairs and started down the grand stairs. He saw the blond leaning against the bottom banister staring at his nails.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" He sneered at him.

Draco tapped his new badge. "Prefect, Weasley."

The stray students continued past them.

Ron nodded down the hall before he started walking. Draco nonchalantly followed. Ron tried a classroom door and stepped inside, Draco behind him.

"So, your idea of fancy meetings is empty classrooms? Somehow not surprising."

"We just have to wait until the prefects do their rounds," Ron corrected.

"So what are we really doing this evening?"

Ron shrugged. "Going down to the lake."

"Please tell me it's not to swim."

"What, no." Ron laughed. "It just looks nice at night. You can see it from the tower window. I thought maybe, Slytherin being in the dungeons and all, you probably don't see it that often."

"That's actually thoughtful of you," Draco sounded surprised.

"I have my moments."

"Like that flower. You do realize how incredibly juvenile that was?"

"You still smiled," Ron retorted.

Draco snorted and sat down on top of one of the desks, putting his feet on the bench. "I like being admired."

Ron rolled his eyes. "You know it's just the two of us. You can tell the truth."

"What do you expect me to say?" Draco put his elbow on his knee and head on his hand. "That it was the first time anyone had given me such a thing and the fact it came from you actually made me happy?"

"Was that so horrible?" Ron smirked, leaning close to him.

Draco stood up shoving him away. "It was a question, not the actuality of the situation." He leaned against a desk across the aisle.

"You know for your nickname you're kinda bad at this."

"Don't remind me. Peeves…" he grumbled.

"How's that song go?" Ron started humming.

"Don't," Draco warned.

Ron laughed and crossed to pull himself up onto the desk Draco was leaning against. "Does that bother you? That no one really notices what's going on?"

"You don't know either," Draco retorted.

"Only because you won't tell me."

"So you'll never know." Draco smirked and leaned back, craning his neck in a somewhat silly angle to meet Ron's eyes.

Ron smiled down at him.

Draco stayed like that a second before he snapped upright and claimed a spot besides Ron on the desk. He slumped forward onto his hand like he had done before, looking towards Ron.

"What?" Ron asked.

Draco smiled. "The longer I look at your freckles the more endearing they are."

"I suppose the same could be said for your arrogance," Ron replied.

"Why do you want me, Weasley?"

Ron shrugged. "I've always found you attractive I guess. It was just that I had to hide it because of Harry and Hermione, and you weren't nice to me at all. Still, I liked you. Then one day it just became really hard to forget about and when I ran into you in the dungeons… I don't know honestly."

The way he described it, it was almost as if he was affected before Draco's full transformation, and then it just got stronger, yet he still could chose whether or not to act on it. This just got curiouser and curiouser.

"Would you kiss me again?" Draco asked.

"Why?"

"Because I want you to."

"So why don't you just kiss me?" Ron asked.

"Because I've never been the first to kiss anyone," Draco answered.

Ron smirked wordlessly.

Draco sat up. "It's not funny."

"What, are you afraid you'd be bad at it?"

"I'm not bad at anything," Draco retorted, turning up his nose.

"Fine then."

Draco's eyes narrowed. He grabbed the front of Ron's robe and pulled him forward while leaning towards him. He angled his head to the side, looking up briefly to Ron's eyes before his own drifted closed. He tilted his chin and laid his lips over Ron's. They pressed a little harder than their first kiss.

Ron held Draco's side. He felt the fingers uncurl from his robes and slid up to hold his neck. Draco's lips parted lightly as he pulled back, ending the kiss.

They stared at each other a long moment before Draco shoved Ron's shoulders. "I told you I'm not bad at anything."

Ron rolled his eyes.

Draco slid off the desk and walked to the door.

"I suppose you've had plenty of practice with it though."

"And what about you, Weasley?"

"I dated Lavender Brown had me snogging her every free minute."

Draco laughed. "Can't imagine why that didn't work out."

"Well, clearly I like blokes now so…"

"You do? I was under the impression I was an exception." Draco put his ear to the door.

"Maybe you just got me thinking," Ron replied. "No one knows though."

"Dearly noted. It is surprising. I would think you'd at least talk to Potter about it."

"I couldn't without bringing you up."

"I see." He pulled the door open a crack to see into the corridor. "I think it's clear."

Ron jumped off the desk to his feet and walked up behind Draco, prepared to follow him out of the room. Draco quickly closed the door and spun around. What he was about to say died. He was now sandwiched between the door and Ron.

"Sorry," Ron supplied awkwardly, taking a step back.

Draco could feel the heat of Ron's body and the flush of erotic thoughts that it spurred. He could feel Ron's momentary rush of excitement and then embarrassment. The thrill didn't just die as it had before. It lingered.

Draco cleared his throat. "Yes, well. It seems I spoke to soon. It was McGonagall."

"Can you imagine if she caught us."

"Can you imagine if she caught us in here," Draco corrected.

Ron laughed a little. "It is suspicious isn't it?"

"We'd probably loose our badges."

"Then it'd be even harder to sneak around like this." Draco turned back to listen to the door.

Ron sighed and sat down again. "Guess I didn't realize how early it was."

"It's fine, Weasley, it's not like I have a test tomorrow or anything," Draco said sarcastically.

"Potions?"

"He's killing us."

"Do you like it though?"

Draco shrugged. "It's better than Divinations."

"Are you taking that this year?"

"No. Pansy is, with the amount that girl talks I practically am."

"You snog her too right. I mean girls in general I guess."

"On occasion. Don't assume things," he warned sitting down across from him.

"What?"

"I saw it," Draco pointed.

"Sorry," Ron looked at the door.

Draco sighed. "I suppose if this is going to continue we should get this all out. So ask even though I so hate to answer."

"Do you have a preference?"

Draco crossed his arms and upturned his eyes like he was annoyed but willing. He had never confided in anyone how he felt about such things. "Yes," he said simply.

"That doesn't really-"

"It does," Draco argued.

"No it-"

"Think a second." Draco pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why would _I_ be here with _you_ if my _preference _went the other way?"

"Oh."

"Tough…" Draco didn't continue.

"What?"

"Nothing." He looked towards the front of the classroom.

"No, what?"

Draco sighed dramatically, like it pained him to talk to the Weasley. "Though I am the last heir to the Malfoy name. I need a predecessor."

"Is that all you care about? Your pure-blood family?"

It was a family secret, the veela's presence. Draco walked quickly to the door. He opened it a crack. "I really think it's clear this time." He opened it wider and stepped into the corridor with Ron quickly behind.

They quietly walked through the hall towards the impressive doors. In no time Ron was leading them down the hill to the edge of the Black Lake.

The dark water glistened in the white moon light. Its lulling waves almost poetic. "It is nice." Draco said. "Sit down." He pointed to a spot beside a large rock.

"What?"

"Do it. Don't ask questions."

"Alright fine." Ron sat down, shifting in the fine stones and sand.

"Spread your legs."

"What? Bloody hell, Malfoy! I'm not-"

"So I can sit between them, idiot. I'm not leaning against a rock."

"Oh…" Ron moved a little uncomfortably.

Draco dropped to his knees and turned his back to Ron. He moved back until he was leaning against the redhead's chest with his legs out in front of him. "There. See? Not that horrible."

"No, I just- It sounded like-"

Draco sat forward and looked back at him. "Weasley, if I was going to have sex with you it wouldn't be here, not that I'd ever have sex with you."

Ron laughed awkwardly and ran his fingers through his hair.

Draco watched the movement a little curious what the Weasley's hair felt like. Ron smiled at him. Draco quickly turned back to look at the lake. Ron leaned forward to wrap his arms around the other body with his chin on Draco's shoulder.

The words, 'Get off me, you behemoth monstrosity,' were a forced thought. Draco would never admittedly like such a thing, so to keep this façade he decided to only release a disgusted sigh and say, "If you must."

"It's cold out," Ron said.

It really wasn't.


	2. Chapter 2

Things went on like that. Meeting after curfew, sometimes going to the lake, sometimes just walking through the castle. If they were seen, which was on rare occasions, they'd start exchanging insults.

Draco was nearly sure rumors would start soon and it would take fair amount of time to get to him. These things usually did. It had to circulate the school at least once before someone tried to confirm it.

"How do I look this morning, Blaise?" Draco asked.

Blaise smirked looking him over.

"Perfect." Draco really had no need to ask. His mirror worked fine but Blaise always gave him a little extra boost of self-esteem. Plus it was always fun to ask and already know the answer.

He slid on his school robe and picked up his bag.

Pansy chose this morning to be particularly annoying. She threw her arms around him the moment his feet touched the common room floor. "Dray, won't you tell them that I'm the only one for you?"

"Why would I lie?" Draco brushed her off and continued on his way to breakfast.

"Because someone said this awful thing," she pouted, following close behind him.

"What did they say?"

"You're sneaking around with someone from Gryffindor tower," she said.

He scoffed. "Idiocy."

"Who are you sneaking around with then?" She sang, swaying on her feet with her hands behind her back.

"I am not sneaking around with anyone. You yourself saw Blaise and I snogging by the stairwell the other day." It had just been an experiment. Clearly the others still wanted him but did he want them, even for those brief seconds. The answer was no. All he wanted was that blasted weasel.

Blaise put his arm around Draco's shoulders. It was almost possessive. "You've never been clingy before," Draco commented.

In fact he had noticed over the past few days his victims became a little more territorial over him. It was mostly passive aggressive in nature but it begged the question, were they in some quiet way fighting over him, and why now all of a sudden?

Pansy took Draco's arm, linking it with hers. "Why don't you ever snog me like that, Draco?"

"Because you are a wretched kisser."

She giggled. "I am not."

Draco sighed, deciding not to keep the conversation going. He felt incredibly irritable lately and found it best not to talk to anyone at all.

Ron walked down the steps into the Gryffindor common room.

"Ron!" Ginny jumped up out of her chair.

"Why do you all make such a big deal every time I walk into a room?" Ron muttered, continuing through. "Morning, Harry."

Harry cleared his throat before answering, "Morning."

Ron noticed his friends getting stranger and stranger. Hermione flew off the handle at random moments and Harry disappeared all the time. His time with Draco was the only times he felt like he wasn't alone, as selfish and snobby as the other boy was.

He sometimes wished he could be with him all the time. Not just hiding out in cupboards when they thought they heard footsteps.

He would find himself daydreaming in the middle of class about the possibility. Sitting with him in the library, studying together, maybe even snogging in the hall between classes, not that they had snogged yet. They barely kissed. Draco wasn't the affectionate kind and Ron tried his hardest to respect that.

Some nights Ron could get away with putting an arm around him but most Draco would make a sound like he was repulsed so Ron would let him be.

Their conversations were mostly vapid. Occasionally Ron would share his turmoil with his friends and Draco would seem to try and sympathize. The Slytherin talked about classes as much as Hermione did only he spoke negatively. More often than not, though, they could find a common topic that kept them interested.

This night, like previous ones, they sat besides the lake. Shoulder to shoulder, though this time it was cold out.

"Do you have another Potions exam tomorrow?" Ron asked.

Draco nodded. "Some bloody idiot decided to express his dislike for them. We'll be lucky if we get out of that class alive."

"Can't imagine he'd kill you. There are laws against that," Ron smiled, looking his way.

Draco laughed. It was just a small one but they were so rare Ron had come to appreciate them. Draco's smile stayed as he looked out at the lake, the moon light catching his features.

"Why are you staring at me?" Draco said after tossing the stone he was rolling around in his hand.

"You look nice," Ron sort of blurted. "I mean right now with the- Not that you don't always look nice- It's just- Yeah… I didn't really mean to say it, because well I know you're kinda vain so I'm sure you know just how you look and-"

During Ron's ramble Draco shook his head and dropped his knee. He leaned over, taking Ron's chin and kissing him firmly for a few brief seconds. "You talk too much."

Ron stared at him like he was stunned, which he was. He leaned forward quickly reclaiming Draco's lips. Draco's fingers moved up his jaw. Ron moved his legs putting his weight on his hand now in the sand. Draco's lips parted, either to gasp or to breathe Ron didn't care to find out. His tongue slid into the other's mouth.

Draco's hand somehow moved to Ron's neck, waving into red hair. He felt the rush of it, the surge of heat through his chest, bolting through his stomach and effecting him in a way no one ever had. It felt good, he wanted more. Then he realized it.

Draco sat back quickly. He shuffled and stumbled onto this feet. "I have to go."

"I'm sorry!" Ron said quickly. "I hadn't meant to-"

"I have to go," Draco repeated and nearly dashed away towards the castle.

Ron sighed and slumped onto his elbows. He picked up a rock and threw it hard. He didn't blame him. Ron had just turned into one of the idiots that just snogged him without permission. He looked at the lake a little longer before deciding to head inside.

Draco panted closing the dorm door behind him. Blaise looked up from his book. Draco marched to his bedside, grabbed his collar and moved over him until they touched. Nothing. Not a damn thing. He was bland, boring. Ron's feeling, Ron's taste, they were still tingling, vibrating on his tongue. This boy was nothing. Nothing!

Draco threw him down and flopped onto his own bed with a disgruntled sigh.

Blaise went back to his book like this was totally normal.

Draco touched his lips. It was still there, the excitement. It wasn't dying. He rolled over onto his stomach burying his face in his pillow. He didn't need this, to be lusting after some disgusting Weasley.

Ron dropped heavily onto his own bed. "Murder me, Harry."

"Why?" Harry sat down on his bed kicking off his slippers.

Ron opened and closed his mouth looking for an answer. "Hermione."

"What about her?"

"She's- well, she's nagging me!" Ron supplied.

"Oh, is she downstairs? I thought she went to bed hours ago."

"No… Didn't you hear her the other day?" Ron said while thinking up an appropriate story.

"I guess not."

Ron huffed and put his face in his pillow. It was good enough. Harry was as absent minded as he was lately. He wouldn't notice a fabricated story.

"Where have you been doing your rounds?" Harry asked.

Ron's head popped up suddenly. "Why?"

"It's just, um- Never mind," Harry shook his head and pulled back the covers to his bed.

Ron was afraid then. Did Harry know? Did he suspect he was meeting Malfoy? No, ridiculous, Harry wouldn't pretend not to know, he'd start a row the second it was confirmed.

Still Ron's paranoia was unwavering.

What was even more upsetting than the possibility of being caught was Draco's distant attitude afterward. Usually they'd exchange smiles and stares, small subtle signals. Now Draco avoided his eye, turned away in the halls, got lost into crowds.

Draco glanced back over his shoulder. He couldn't make out a single distinguished individual. He sighed and hugged his books. What was happening to him?

Pansy came bounding to his side, sliding her arm around his. Draco looked back again. He wanted to see him, just to be sure the Weasley was looking for him, to be sure he was still wanted. Why though? He shouldn't care! Still he couldn't help it.

"Your hair is getting long, Dray," she reached over to play with it.

He turned his head away from her and pulled free his arm. "Bugger off for once," he said sourly.

The rest of the day passed with a fuzzy, apathetically painful haze.

Draco dropped his school things onto his bed. "I'll take the dungeons tonight, Blaise."

Blaise nodded uncaringly and left the room to go do his rounds throughout the castle.

Draco sighed and closed his eyes to lean against the post of his bed. Maybe he should owl his mother and tell her something was wrong with his veela powers and he was concerned. He didn't feel like telling her the whole story though. This was quite the predicament he was in.

He didn't want to see Ron, didn't want to talk to him, but it hurt to think about not wanting him, because he wanted him immensely. It was incredibly hard to decipher what he wanted exactly.

"Ron," Ginny stopped coming into the common room. "Shouldn't you be out doing rounds?" Her tone was decisively scolding in a way he'd only known Hermione to use when she was trying to cover for not knowing the answer to something.

"I did, I came back," Ron answered. Draco didn't show tonight and feeling a little forlorn he decided to call it a night. "Shouldn't you be in bed? What are you doing up… and leaving for?"

"I need to find Hermione," she said standing straight and crossing her arms.

"Well, if she's not here she's doing rounds," Ron retorted. "Why?"

"Women things," she said confidently. Almost like she knew it would make Ron drop the conversation immediately.

"Oh- Well- That-" he began to stutter and make as much movement with his mouth like a fish without water. He often did this when he didn't know what to say.

She shook her head dismissively. "Grow up," she scoffed and left the common room through the painting.

Ron sighed and walked up the steps.

Draco liked walking through the dungeons at night. It was sort of thrilling. He of course knew the majority of the corridors and could navigate fairly well.

So it didn't take him long to do one circle through passing corridors. It was quiet. It mostly was. The older students didn't start cohering younger years to do bidding until they got a good foothold in academics.

So Draco got back to the dorm early and much before Blaise. He changed for bed, thrilled to be alone to do this.

He laid in bed awake though, even with the stillness of the room, which he would of prayed for a week ago.

Draco adjusted the pillows behind his head and laced his fingers on his chest. He kicked at the sheets around his feet and then stared intently up at the canopy.

It was a little chilly, this night. The dungeons were horribly frigid in the winter. He was reminded of the warmth of Ron's chest against his back when they had sat besides the lake for the first time. The tingle of his breath against his skin, the searing touch of his lips the night before.

Draco looked at the door. Blaise could be coming back any moment, he shouldn't be having these thoughts, least of all about a Weasley.

But they were persistent.

Draco sighed, this was not his lucky day.

Ron looked over at Harry's bed. The Marauder's Map laid on the stand beside his bed. Ron was still a little mad that Fred and George had given it to Harry and not him. He would of let Harry sneak into Hogsmead anytime.

Ron picked up the map and fell onto his own bed. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he told the parchment with his wand to it. The ink leaked onto the pages, forming corridors, classrooms, and occasional footprints. Ron unfolded and refolded the map, lazily looking over the people awake and asleep. He was looking for someone in particular of course, and he found him in the Slytherin dorms.

He watched Draco's name feeling guilty. He really hadn't meant to kiss Draco like he had. It just happened and he thought Draco wanted it to. Apparently that was an incorrect assumption, it hadn't even been an assumption it was just a reaction, which was the strangest thing about it.

He had no conscious bearing in it. Draco could of started it for all Ron knew, but he must have. This whole situation was boggling.

The dorm door opened. Ron scrambled for his wand, "Mischief managed."

Harry nodded towards the map. "Been watching it long?"

Ron shook his head. "No. Why?"

"No reason," Harry said quickly. "Looking for someone then?"

"Hermione," Ron lied without a pause.

Harry flashed him a smile and made to turn in for the night. "Night."

"Yeah," Ron agreed and turned out the light with the flick of his wrist.

Draco ran his trembling fingers through his hair. "Damn you, Ronald Weasley." He sighed heavily and relaxed his tingling body into his bed. "What am I going to do about this?"

The room was softly vibrating and he was nearly certain it was coming directly from himself. He could sense his own desire, which he'd never had before in this fashion. It consumed him completely, filled him with a warm intoxication he only knew before under the influence at the Slytherin Christmas party.

He threw his head back with a sudden surge of it. Rubbing one out had not been a good idea in the slightest, somehow it equated to this, being taken with his own pheromones.

The dorm door opened and Draco suppressed himself, but shivered with all his restraint. Blaise met his eye. They stared hard, with a dark edge to them, even as he walked. Draco was a little afraid. These new pheromones were effecting him so strongly he couldn't imagine how a normal person would take them.

He got his answer in a fairly quick fashion. Blaise didn't say anything, his look didn't change. He was half on Draco's bed, half over him, fully pressing his lips to the blonde's.

Draco went from blissful stupor to frightening clarity in that second. He shifted quickly out from under the other boy and sat up. Blaise's eyes settled, regained their usual apathetic appearance.

Draco's breath was still a little thin. "Why did you do that?" he demanded. He never asked such a thing before. Now it seemed extremely important though.

Blaise seemed just as confused. "I don't know."

That wasn't the end to the strange events to come. It stopped. It all just stopped. His swooning, sighing admirers, his run-in snogs, they all abandoned him at a time when he seemed to crave attention more than anything. It was all he wanted and all he was denied.

He walked through the hall, hugging his books, feeling nothing like himself. His confidence was nearly ripped away by this spell. He felt small, desperate, needy, but he was still Malfoy and turned his eyes down to no one. Which was so strange when he found himself staring at his feet on the stone floor.

He'd have to consciously look up again. So he just caught glimpse of the boy before he ran into him. Usually such an occasion would call for a heated kiss. Now they picked up their things the other boy said something nasty and Draco was too completely floored to even fathom a response before he was down the hall.

He was loosing it and it was all because of the damned Weasley.

Ron watched him, he couldn't take his eyes off him. He had gotten quite capable in the art of Malfoy gazing, especially with Hermione and Harry always beside him. Harry wasn't there though, and Hermione was in a book.

Draco's distress was practically pliable, it was so obvious. Ron was still more than a little worried their kiss was the cause of it. He wanted to run over and talk to him, it took all his will power to peel his eyes away when Hermione pulled on his arm.

Draco put his chin on his hand and stared out the window. The redhead kept showing up in his mind. His stupid smile, his beautiful eyes, soft hair, and that delicious smell. He wanted to be wrapped up in it, be held like he had been what seemed like months before, only in completely less innocent ways.

The images kept rolling around in his head. Him, Weasley, and a mess of sheets. Him, Weasley, and an empty class room. Him, Weasley, and-

There was a sigh and hard thud beside him. He jumped and turned towards the girl laying on the table. "What was that?" The professor demanded.

Draco was stunned. "I- I think she fainted."

Maybe he should try to get better control of these pheromones, apparently they were a lot more potent now.

He need to get rid of this, and soon.

So he didn't hesitate that night after curfew. He marched to the classroom where they usually met and sat with a huff, crossing his arms and waiting.

"You're doing rounds tonight," Harry urged.

Ron stayed where he was, face down on his bed.

Harry softly sat down beside him. "I know you're not feeling well," he said sympathetically.

Ron held in his scoff. Harry wouldn't know anything about him anymore, and the opposite.

"So here." Harry pushed the map towards him. "You take it and that way you won't have to go far to catch people."

Ron grumbled and rolled over, taking the parchment on his way out the door.

Draco tapped his foot and leaned back against the table. How dare this insolent weasel stand him up.

With an insulted sound to cover his hurt even in an empty room he stood and made towards the door. When he opened it the other boy was on the other side directly in front of him as though he had been making to enter.

Draco was nearly floored by this. He grabbed Ron quickly and pulled him into the room closing the door behind him. He fell against it.

"I'm sorry," Ron started. Draco pulled at his tie. "The other night, I really hadn't meant to snog you."

Draco stopped trying to pull him closer. "What?"

"When we kissed by the lake."

"What about it?"

"I hadn't meant to kiss you like that." Ron started turning red.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"It's why you're upset… isn't it?"

Draco laughed, it was almost cruel sounding. "I've snogged at least a dozen different blokes in two weeks. I don't care if you snog me, Weasley." He pulled at his tie again, a little harder this time, "I actually enjoyed it."

"Wait," Ron argued, pulling himself away and stepping back. "So why weren't you here yesterday? If that's not the reason then why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset at all, you dunderhead," Draco retorted. "I do not get upset."

"You're upset now," Ron pointed.

"I'm angry now," Draco corrected.

"What have I said that's insulted you?"

"It's not what you've said it's what you've done. I've been trying to get you to snog me and you just want to talk about feelings. I don't care about your feelings, Weasley."

"And I don't care that you're horny," Ron replied.

Draco was so obviously devastated by this blow. "I am not horny! And even if I was I have every right to be, no one else will touch me!"

For Ron that struck a cord, and oddly enough not an angry one, rather an emotional one. "What?"

"What do you mean what? I articulate perfectly." Draco crossed his arms.

"I thought you said you didn't like when people just snogged you," Ron said.

"No, I said it's annoying. If I could just sift out the good kissers from the bad I wouldn't mind at all," which was not at all entirely true.

"You're a horrible person, you know that?"

Draco sighed. "Why did we ever think this would work, Weasley? No matter how desperate I am for you-" He stopped himself.

"Desperate for me?" Ron asked. "Not anyone else?"

"No. All I can think about is you," he seethed. "That is truly annoying."

Ron paused a moment. "Do you love me?"

"No!" Draco snapped. "Don't be… ridiculous." His eyes fell elsewhere. "Why would anyone love you, weasel?" He came back.

Ron smiled. "You've gotten bad at insulting me."

"I seem to have lost my talent in it. Another thing I can blame you for."

"You do love me."

"I do not! And it's stupid arguing about this. If Blaise would just kiss me we wouldn't be having this conversation at all."

"But he won't," Ron replied.

"Yes, and I don't understand why. I'm just as attractive as before aren't I?"

"You're asking me? Well, I suppose right now you're not. That scowl isn't very pretty," Ron said humorously. "Glaring doesn't help, either."

"Shut up." Draco turned to open the door and leave.

"Now that's an alright sight," Ron joked.

Draco paused. He looked over his shoulder. "You've never said anything like that before."

"What?" Ron asked.

"Sexual."

Ron scoffed but still looked a little confused. "That wasn't-"

Draco turned around fully. "You said I have a nice ass."

"I did not! I was-"

"Thinking it?"

"You don't know what I'm thinking, Malfoy!"

"Do you want to have sex with me?"

Ron struggled again with what to say. "No! Not bloody now!"

"So meet me in the Astrology tower tomorrow night."

"You're mental! You don't plan this kind of thing! It just-"

Draco stepped forward. "Fine then." He grew a sly smile and reached for Ron's tie again. "Meet me in the Astrology tower tomorrow and we'll see what happens." He kissed Ron's cheek and pulled away. He walked back to the door. "Now, good night."


	3. Chapter 3

Ron watched the corridor on the map. He was sitting on the last step heading up to the Astrology tower. He didn't know why he was even there in the first place.

Feet appeared at the end of the hall walking towards him. He sighed and looked up at the torch on the wall. "Lumos." This way anyone sneaking around behind his back could be a little more warned of his presence.

Another pair of feet appeared at the opposite end of the corridor. "Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Mischief managed."

Ginny's giggle stopped. "Ron?" She dropped Harry's arm. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought your rounds were by the trophy room," Harry added awkwardly.

"I walked around a bit and saw no one was doing rounds in this part. What are you two doing here?" Ron asked but he very well knew the truth.

They've been playing him for an idiot this whole time.

"I have a project in Care of Magical Creatures. We're learning about centaurs. Harry offered to escort me so I can map the stars."

It was rubbish. He didn't get to reply though.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Not interrupting some sort of Gryffindor foursome am I? Where's Granger, waiting upstairs?"

"You're disgusting, Malfoy," Harry retorted with a scowl.

"What's disgusting is that you let yourselves be seen with that filthy mud-blood," Draco supplied carelessly.

"Why are you even here? Slither back to the dungeons, won't you?" Ginny replied.

"I was assigned this part of the castle tonight, not that it's any of your business," Draco scoffed.

"So where were you? Off snogging some poor first year," Harry added.

"Again, my business, Potter." Draco looked past him to the youngest of the Weasley clan. He quirked an eyebrow.

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said glaring at the blond and pulling Harry's wrist. "Maybe you can get me into the library."

Draco waited until they were quite a ways down the hall before turning towards Ron. He walked around him to go up the stairs. "Who studies this late at night?"

Ron followed him. They were quiet until reaching the landing. "He's shagging your sister."

"I know," Ron sighed. "Just found out today. Can we not talk about it?"

"Certainly," Draco agreed. "We can shag instead," he added with a smirk.

"I'm not doing this," Ron stated. "Just because you've had plenty experience-"

"Before you make an ass of yourself, no I have not."

"So why…"

"Because I want things to go back to normal," Draco said angrily.

"And having sex with me will do it?"

Draco made a frustrated sound. "Yes- Maybe. I hope so."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Nevermind." Draco turned his back to him.

"You don't really want to do it either do you," Ron stated.

"Not like this. You have no idea how degrading it would be. Draco Malfoy, last heir to the name, shacking up with some Weasley boy in a dusty Hogwarts tower. Downright dishonorable."

"See your self-assurance is back," Ron commented. He walked up beside him and leaned onto the railing. They were quiet a moment, looking out at the stars. "It wouldn't be that terrible I guess."

"Not on your end of things," Draco said. He spun and leaned back with his elbows on the railing.

"What do you mean by that?"

Draco sighed dramatically upturning his head. "Forget it."

"Can we go back to the way things were before I snogged you?" Ron asked.

"On one condition." Draco looked towards him. "Because I am now severely lacking my usual admirers you have to pick up slack."

Ron mimicked Draco's position against the rail. "So you want me to gush over you and play with your hair?"

Draco scoffed. "Not to that extreme. Just a little more physical contact."

Ron hummed in thought. He slid a little closer letting his hand brush Draco's. The blond looked down then up, rolled his eyes and looked away.

Ron smiled and leaned a little closer. "It feels weird."

Draco's attention came back to their hands. "What?"

"Almost like you want me to stop… but if I did you'd be upset- Sorry, that's right you don't get-"

Draco pulled his hand away and stepped forward. He rounded to the redhead. "No."

"What?" Ron was confused.

"I have to go," Draco started for the stairs.

Ron lunged forward and reached for his wrist. "Why? I don't understand."

"Ron, I'll meet you tomorrow. I just-"

"Did you just call me-"

"No," Draco denied, pulled himself free, and started again for the stairs.

"Will you just-" Ron grabbed his robe. "I thought we were going back to normal. What did I do?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

"What?"

"The first time, why did you kiss me?" Draco demanded.

"I told you I wanted to."

"Yes, but why?" Draco stressed.

"I don't know… Didn't you want me to? I mean you let me."

"This is pointless, Weasley." Draco sighed. "Now, if you'd be so kind."

"No. Why do you have to go? We have all night."

"I have nothing else to say to you."

"Then we don't have to talk."

Draco shoved him back, moving towards the rail so Ron let go. "You're acting like a girl," he muttered.

Ron smiled.

"You know I'm still curious, how did you find out? Potter and your sister."

"I thought we were agreed not to talk," Ron said, bravely putting his arms onto the rails at either side of Draco's body.

"Tomorrow then," Draco concluded. "After the wounds have healed some." Draco moved and looked over his shoulder at him.

"Do you know what it's like?" Ron kept his eyes skyward. "Being betrayed like that?"

Draco sighed and turned back. "No. My friends may be disloyal but I've always known them to be. Never trust anyone and never get hurt."

Ron looked at him, well the side of his face. "I suddenly understand a lot more about you."

Draco leaned to one side to meet his gaze. What was sure to be some kind of haughty retort seemed to die. "What?" Ron asked.

"In this light you're quite handsome. Freckles and all," Draco stated.

"I thought you said my freckles were endearing," Ron smiled.

"I suppose," Draco agreed. He sighed and looked away.

That actually wasn't the end to the conversation. Not entirely. Eventually Ron sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall, one leg folded, one leg out in front of him. Draco sitting so his spine made the third rung between two rails. "We should drink. During these 'meetings' or whatever."

"Wouldn't figure you for a drinker, Weasley. Thought honorable Gryffindors were above it," Draco mocked.

Ron laughed and looked up. "You should see the tower when we win the Quidditch cup."

"Too bad our last year and Slytherin will take it," Draco supplied coolly.

Ron smiled and shook his head. "How about you then, have you even been sloshed?"

"On occasion." Draco both enjoyed and loathed the experience. He had never been able to take part in festivities without receiving a later regretted tongue down his throat.

"Slytherin parties get a little wild too, can't imagine that."

Draco smirked. "You have no idea."

"So how about it? Tomorrow night I'll sneak a bottle of Fire Whiskey up here?"

Draco sighed. "I get that you're brooding and all but I'd like to wake up without a hang-over on a weekday. Not to mention this spot's popularity."

"So the lake?"

"Getting drunk and drowning may be on your agenda, Weasley, but I must decline."

"Fine then what do you want to do?"

"Meet me in the dungeons," Draco stated.

"Why?" Ron asked. "What's down there?"

"Solidarity, quiet-"

"That weird smell," Ron finished.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're always dragging me around in the towers. It's only fair I get to do the same."

Ron sighed. "Fine."

"And if you really want to get pissed I might be able to snag some absinthe."

"That's heavy stuff."

"It's not a Slytherin Christmas party without it."

"So you really do get wild."

Draco smirked. "Want to snog?" The question dropped casually into the room.

"Can you just ask like that?"

"I believe I did."

"Did you usually with others?"

"I didn't have to ask usually."

"Just say the word and they do it?"

"I didn't even need to say a thing. They never really gave me a chance to."

"So this must be really weird for you," Ron said.

Draco looked up into the rafters. "Yes."

Ron shifted forward and crawled closer.

"On your hands and knees, as you should be, Weasley," was a thought that never happened. Instead came, "What are you doing?"

"I can't snog you from across the room, now can I?"

Draco smirked and leaned closer. They were at a difficult angle, Ron's arms were trapped between them, and Draco couldn't correct a thing about it but it was still a decent kiss and one of the better snogs he'd put on his list. It wasn't as electrifying as their previous entanglement and Draco was both thankful and a little disappointed.

"You know you're not so bad at this. Even with all your awkwardness."

"Will your compliments always be back handed?"

Draco shrugged. "If you'd prefer I can not compliment you at all."

Ron rolled his eyes and moved to sit beside the blond against the observation deck. "You're not bad at it either."

"I told you, I'm not bad at anything." Draco leaned back to look up at the night sky.

"So, you'd like a physical relationship?" Ron asked carefully.

Draco sighed. "Yes, because you bore me. Not because I'm a whore and certainly not because I think you're attractive. Understand?"

"No." Ron shook his head.

"Fine then," Draco said dismissively.

"I bore you?"

"Yes, all you talk about is your friends."

"I think you talk too negatively. Is there anything that makes you happy?"

Draco first thought of Potter finding out he was snogging his best mate, but he couldn't tell Ron that. No, it would lead to a whole lot of misunderstanding and well, truth. So he thought again. He hadn't really been happy since the day of his transformation. Then it was like he just became a service to others. Watching them drool and pine for him had been fun at first but it was an enjoyment short lived.

"No," he answered. He dropped his head to look back at the Weasley.

"Nothing at all?"

"I find people a nuisance, politics a bore, science redundant, and sports unfavorably fanatic."

"But snogging, you like snogging," Ron retorted.

"But it doesn't make me happy. I found it quite irritating until-" He stopped talking.

Ron smiled but didn't comment.

Draco turned away. _"Smug idiot. If I could control these pheromones we wouldn't even be talking right now. I wonder how you are effected anyway…"_

Ron felt like it had been quiet too long but didn't say anything still. The air around them felt weird and he didn't want to make it worse.

"It's cold out," Draco finally said.

"U-um yeah," Ron agreed.

Draco moved closer. Ron wondered if he should put his arm around his shoulders after little debate he did so.

Draco smiled inwardly and laid his head on Ron's shoulder. If anything this boy could be his target practice in a sense. Maybe being covered in these pheromones would lead to a convenient trap for Potter. He would sense them on Ron and then Draco would just have to pass him in the hall. It'd be wonderful. He could see the boy swooning and fainting now.

But how to get them on Ron in the first place? They seemed very potent whenever his mind wandered to a certain physical activity and if he couldn't control them he could control his thoughts.

It was helpful to have Ron's sent surrounding him. He didn't have to think too hard.

Draco felt and heard the ragged little gasp the redhead made. He sat back and looked up at him. Ron stared at him, surprise in his features.

Draco began to say something, prepared to fully deny being a veela if he had to. Then he was kissed hard and thoroughly making the thoughts he had been forcing to come naturally. It was like a horrible cycle, thoughts lead to action, lead to thoughts, lead to necking.

"Ron," Draco panted. It was hot and fun and intoxicating. He held tighter to the pair of shoulders in front of him. He gasped with an exciting jolt, he could damn Blaise right now for being right.

Ron bit him again, softer but to the same spot.

Draco's breath hitched. His head dropped back against the rail. He was thankful then for the cold breeze that came through the tower. It brought back clarity, ended the cycle. He shoved Ron away with a swallow of thick breath. "Yes, well," it could be the first time he was at a loss of words and struggling to find them. "Now that I have a mark to spell away-"

"Oh, sorry." He laughed awkwardly and coughed a little. "Here. Let me-" Ron pulled his wand.

Draco put up a hand. "I prefer my head intact."

"I got a new wand," Ron insisted. He smiled softly and leaned forward. His hand held the back of Draco's neck and wand lightly touched his throat.

Draco's breath rolled out as the spell moved across his skin.

"There," Ron said. He moved his thumb against where the spot had been almost as if making sure it was really gone.

Draco felt strange. Soft flutters were traveling that horrible route those exciting waves had not more than a minute ago.

Ron's lips touched his jaw and a combination of the sensations tumbled through him. "Ron." The name just spilled out of him without a single conscious accord. He looked towards the Weasley, meeting his blue eyes, soft and sweet above that stupid goofy smile.

Would Draco of been paying attention he would of felt the muscles in his face make a smile back before they kissed again.

There was no pheromones, not as far as Draco could tell. They could of lingered though, he supposed that was possible, or maybe this was how they effected Ron. Maybe they lasted with him the way the excitement lasted with Draco.

Regardless of the reason it wasn't long before Draco found himself laying on the dusty floor of the astrology tower, fingers tangled in red hair, warm body against his.

Needless to say neither of them got to bed until late that night and with a great deal of vanishing spells.

Ron fell into bed with a happy sigh.

Harry stirred. "Ron?"

"Got up to use the loo," Ron lied.

"Oh," Harry laid back down.

Ron pulled off his shirt, kicked off his pants and climbed under the covers. His newfound hatred for his former best friend was in the back of his mind, behind a vast amount of Draco.

Draco groaned.

Crabbe stood over his bed. "You'll be late for class."

Draco sighed. "Why is it that any other day you'd of just let me be late?" He rolled to the edge of his bed.

Vincent shrugged. "You're the one that is usually punctual."

"Shut up. I have a headache," he grumbled and spelled his bed to make itself. "Go wait in the common room."

Crabbe nodded and walked out of the room.

Draco pulled on a school shirt and started the buttons. He paused somewhere in the middle not remembering spelling away the marks on his chest.

Wait, there hadn't been any marks on his chest. He never took his shirt off. Yet he distinctly remembered the feeling of Ron's hands on his skin and but at the same time having to untuck said shirt from his trousers before bed.

"Queer," he said aloud. Then he shrugged it off and finished getting dressed.

Blaise walked through the room to grab his bag.

"Blaise, how do I look today?" Draco asked.

The other boy eyed him, shrugged, and walked out.

Draco sighed and followed him to the common room where his two comrades were waiting without the annoying pug-faced girl. Blaise walked ahead of them, no longer being apart of their group. His friendship hung on his relationship with Draco. They used each other simply because of appearances and now that the attraction had vaporized there was nothing there.

They made it to class in time to see Pansy pawing at her latest infatuation. Were it not for her rude, distasteful, and extremely obvious ways of entrapment he would of said she might have a chance.

He felt a little bitter about it. Not jealous, jealousy would need deeper feelings, which he did not have. He just wanted attention and was not getting it.

Ron's feelings on what transpired the night before changed as frequently as his classes. On one hand he thoroughly enjoyed it. On the other he felt like they were rushing things.

It had felt really good though.

But this was Draco Malfoy he was seeing not someone he'd been friends or even acquaintances with for years. They hated each other. Well, hated the people they hung out with.

He got along with him fairly well. Even better when he had him pinned beneath him.

Ron sighed and slumped forward. There was no kind of scold from Hermione so he looked over at her. "Is something bothering you, Ron?" she asked quietly enough.

"Yeah…" he looked back at the professor attempting to teach to uninterested students. "Say, there's this person that I kind of like," he started carefully, "but- I'm not really their type I guess."

Hermione smiled and looked at her notes. "Don't worry about it, Ron. I'm sure they like you the way you are."

How did she even know they liked him back? Did she know? Was that what that smile was about? Should he ask her?

"Um, thanks, Hermione," he said, leaving him the rest of the class to stew. Walking out he had to say something. He took her arm and pulled her off to a slightly less crowded area. "Do you know?"

"Know what?" She sounded annoyed probably because she was being kept from going straight to her next class.

"Who I was talking about?"

"Oh." Her grievances vanished with a smile. "No, of course not, Ron."

Ron's eyes went wide and he pulled her further out of the course of other ears. "Hermione, please don't tell Harry."

"Harry?" She asked, losing her smile and looking a little more confused. "What?"

"What?" He asked back, his voice hitting a certain embarrassing octave.

She looked at him expecting an explanation.

He shook his head and stepped away from her. "Um, just- I'm going to class." He walked on down the hall.

He just let her know he had a secret. This wasn't good.

Draco folded his arms on his books in his lap. Goyle stood nearby, Crabbe sat on the bench beside him. These were dull days. Draco had grown used to it over the years, admirers losing interest and turning elsewhere but at least he still had his hallway flings. This boredom was nearly unbearable.

"We're going to class," he told them, leaving the bench. Of course they followed him.

He walked into the classroom and took his lone seat in the front. Crabbe and Goyle sat in the row behind him.

Ron walked down the hall digging into the pocket of his robe for the note he had prepared. He turned into the room to see the seat he was interested in already occupied. He looked at the two sitting behind Draco they seemed to stare at him as he passed.

Ron sat down, choosing the first time to sit in the front. Hermione would be happy.

Draco looked over at him, curious about who else was there. Ron met his eye and waved a tiny piece of parchment.

Draco turned in his chair. He looked at his fellow Slytherins and nodded to the door. They wordlessly got up and walked out of the room.

Ron watched them leave before crossing to aisle to Draco's seat. "It's just a note. I was assigned rounds near the library tonight."

Draco looked at the note then back at Ron. "I'm alright with not meeting tonight."

Ron nodded.

"I have a question though. What did we do last night?"

"What?"

"Well, I remember snogging you, I remember quite a few marks- on me and you- but that's it."

"That's all that happened." Ron shared.

"Really? That's sort of- Never mind." He waved off.

Ron leaned forward, bracing his hands on Draco's desk. "Sort of what?"

"Disappointing."

"Why?"

"I don't know really," he supplied with an indifferent kind of tone.

"You do want to then?"

"I don't know anymore. Go to your seat."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Fine then get caught talking to me."

"We're just talking." Ron shrugged.

"You don't think even that is suspicious?" Draco asked.

"I'll risk it," Ron smiled. "This is the only chance I get."

"Thank you, Weasley, really, I'm honored," he fanned, "but I also have a reputation to maintain."

"Are you saying I should be caught snogging you?" Ron asked.

Draco laughed dryly. "Not that reputation."

Ron smiled. "No?"

Draco started to reply when he was interrupted. "Ron, there you are. What did you mean-"

Ron stood up straight and walked back to his seat. Hermione quietly sat down beside him. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," he said, purposefully adding a sour tone.

Hermione didn't talk much the rest of the day, which was odd for her. Harry made very few attempts to talk to him. It was hard to tell him off because Harry didn't know Ron knew and Ron really didn't want to talk about it yet.

He couldn't stop thinking about Draco either. He didn't remember what they had done last night?

"How were rounds?" Hermione asked as they walked though the open portrait into the common room together. "Fine. Caught some third year trying to get into the restricted section. You?"

"Two second years and a fourth year," she shared and then began their separate stories of mischief and capture.

Ron didn't even bother to pretend to be interested. "Good night."

"Night," she said cheerfully.

Weeks passed, December came, snow fell and covered the Hogwarts grounds. Ron was drug down into the dungeons. It was incredibly cold but with his company extremely close it didn't matter.

The light of a wand, long ago dropped onto the stone floor illuminated the otherwise crushing darkness.

Draco's arms wrapped around him tighter with some kind of breathy moan. Ron's knees buckled suddenly. He braced the wall behind Draco to keep from falling. Draco shuddered and sighed, the way their bodies touched made whatever sobriety the cold wall offered disappear.

Ron groaned against his shoulder. It sounded nearly animal. Draco gasped and rolled his body away from the cold into Ron's.

The redhead's breath hitched with a strangled curse. Draco moaned and repeated the movement. Ron sought out the Malfoy's lips. The kiss was hard and absolutely brilliant.

Even with all the cold and damp of the dungeons Ron found himself pulling off his robe.

Draco rolled his head away from him, sinking to the freckled skin. Ron made some kind of beautiful sound and pushed Draco against the wall. Draco gasped, one leg wrapping around the Weasley's.

The movement, the angle, the heat, it felt so good and it had never been like this.

There had always been a jumping off point. Someplace to stop.

Ron didn't want this to stop.

Draco breathed in sharply. "Ron."

Ron shook his head and put his face in the other boy's neck. "I- I'm sorry. Maybe we should-"

Draco pushed him back, grabbed his collar, and pulled him forward again aiming for his lips. He moved again making them both generate some kind of thrilled sound.

Ron reached down to hold his hip, inspiring Draco's movements to become a rhythmic grind that Ron fell into replying with his own.

This was a first. There was several times in which these meetings brought about one or more wanks but that was after they had walked away and returned to their dorms.

Things had never gotten this far before and he didn't know how much farther they could go.

"Ron, that feels-" Draco panted, "so good."

Ron made a sound of agreement. His hands dropped down to pull Draco harder against him. They both shuddered with slow rolling thrusts that made them both a bit messier than they started. Draco dropped his face to Ron's neck. If he would have had the breath he would of laughed. "I knew you liked my ass." He smiled and kissed his skin.

Ron laughed lightly. He moved his hands back up to Draco's sides. Draco's leg grounded again, he leaned back against the wall fully with a sigh, his knees still too weak to stand. He looked down into the gap this movement created between them and then threw back his head. He smiled widely at the stone ceiling. "Oh hell."

Ron laughed. "My wand's in my robe."

Draco looked over his shoulder at the Gryffindor colors on the floor. "It can wait." He slumped against the wall, stretching down to get his own. He kept it loosely in his hand, lazily rolling his wrist and watching the light dance on Ron's features.

Ron met him for a caste kiss. "That was- well, fun."

"That was more than fun," Draco corrected.

Ron smiled.

"So, does this mean you've changed your mind then?"

"About what?"

"Sex. With me."

"I don't know."

Draco arched again pressing himself playfully against the redhead. "Fine. We can just keep meeting and see how things go."

"That sounds fun," Ron supplied.

"More than," Draco corrected and pointed to Ron's robe.

"You have a working wand too," Ron argued.

"So you play with my ass and I have to spell you clean?" Draco asked sarcastically.

Ron rolled his eyes. He turned reaching down for his robe. "I'm never going to hear the end of it am I?"

"Nope. I let you grope me. Check mate."

"You _let_ me? Right. You do realize that if we do- you know I'll be more than playing with your ass."

"And I thought you were never going to catch on." Draco smiled, pushing himself up against the wall to stand straight.

Ron retrieved his wand. "So..."

Draco put his hand over Ron's and lowered them, stepping forward, with the most seductive smirk he could manage. Ron's hand and wand were trapped between them. Usually Draco would be uncomfortable with a wand this close to his genitals and Ron Weasley at the casting end.

Ron swallowed thickly, his eyes jumping down then up again. "Wha-?"

"With what you were doing a short while ago you'd think this wouldn't bother you so much." Draco laughed.

"That was different," Ron objected. He tore himself free and spelled them clean quickly.

Draco patted the side of his face. "I enjoy embarrassing you."

"I know." They started walking. "At least now I can say I get to play with your ass. Fair trade."

Draco snorted a weak chuckle. He walked beside the redhead out of the deadened corridor. "See,_ get_."

Ron rolled his eyes. His hand hesitantly brushed Draco's. The blond looked at him with a curious brow. Ron returned the look condescendingly.

Draco sighed but his fingers fell in with Ron's as they walked. Ron smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

_"Dear Mother,_

_I am doing well in all my classes. Even with the torture that Potions is turning out to be. Professor Snape is especially particular this term. I digress of course. I am glad to hear you and father are taking a short absence from the Manor. I hope you enjoy your trip._

_I am sorry to say that I'm not just writing to you as a social obligation, however much I enjoy it. I wish to express a few concerns that have come up as of late. I believe they have to do with the delicate matter of my genetic inheritance. I hope there is a fix to them, or at least an explanation you can offer._

_I seem to have lost my hold over others. Which is normal in some cases but never to this extreme. I don't quite understand how it's happened. I also have had a sudden surge in potency that I can't explain either. If you have any answers they'd be appreciated."_

Draco looked at the letter, reading it carefully for errors or dangerous tones of contempt. Thankfully writing his mother was always easier than writing his father. There was a certain amount of lenience with her. He signed the letter and tucked it into its envelope.

He stood from the desk, tucking the letter into his robe, turning out the light and leaving the dorm room to go meet Ron in their classroom.

It started on one of the desks, but somewhere in the evening they wound up on the floor.

Draco groaned.

Ron looked up from the few books and parchments around him.

"All the things we _could_ be doing and you'd rather study," Draco said with a sigh. "That busy-body mudblood finally get to you?"

"You know the more you talk like that the less likely I am to acknowledge you," Ron threatened, in an albeit playful manner, not looking up from his work.

Draco picked up one of the books. "Herbology?"

Ron nodded silently.

"Never would guess you'd find it interesting." Draco turned a few pages.

"I don't. It's a class," Ron answered.

Draco hummed. He dropped the book. "Watching you study is incredibly boring. Will we be doing anything this night?"

"No," Ron answered. He moved papers around in front of him.

Draco leaned onto his elbows. "Such a conversationalist you are."

"I'm trying to work," Ron retorted.

"So why did you even bother to come?"

Ron stopped and looked up. "I didn't want to stand you up."

Draco motioned to the books and papers. "And this is better? Blatantly ignoring me?"

"I wasn't ignoring you," Ron argued, looking down again.

"In comparison to what we did last night, this is ignoring me."

"I'm sorry you demand so much attention and that I have classes, rounds, and friends to deal with," Ron said sourly.

"Like you're the only one." Draco laid out on the floor. "You'd think, given the opportunity, a normal teenage boy would jump at the chance."

"You think too highly of your ass," Ron replied.

Draco groaned again.

"How do you even know you'll like it?" Ron asked sort of in a self conversing style.

Draco sat up. He gave Ron a look of humored disbelief.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Before I answer, you do realize what you just asked," Draco said.

"What, all I said was-" his features sank into a speechless embarrassment. "I didn't mean- I was- You-" He stopped talking, his ears nearly fading into his hair, they were so red.

Draco laughed.

"Wait!" Ron blurted with a tone of anger to his humiliation. "You just said- Are you telling me you have-?"

Draco grew a dismissive attitude and looked at his nails. "Once or twice."

"Once _or_ twice?" Ron demanded. Then he shook his head with an uncommitted sound. He has found himself asking, "why are we talking about this?" way too many times.

Draco watched Ron decide to end the conversation by turning to his book. With a smirk he leaned forward onto his hands and made sure to recapture attention by breeching the wall of studying. Ron was forced to sit back to find some space. "Does it help if I said I thought of you?"

Ron scuffled back further. "Why do you keep-" Ron folded his legs and stood up. "Why do you keep insisting we shag? Has it crossed your mind I don't want to!"

Draco sat back on his knees. "No."

"You- You're a brat!" Ron stepped forward. "You think you can have anything you want!" He bent down picking up his things and fumbled with them in his arms. He looked down at Draco. "That you just point to the floor and we all drop to our knees!"

A smile crept onto Draco's face.

"What?" Ron demanded.

"No, no," Draco insisted. "You made yourself clear. You may go."

"I don't need your permission to leave," Ron scoffed.

"Just thought what you said was ironic. Seeing as I am the one on my knees."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I meant-"

"There is no loss of translation. I know perfectly well what you mean most the time."

Ron groaned in frustration and made to walk around the other boy. "Well, why do you have to keep talking about it?"

"Because I want to." Draco turned.

"You want to talk about it?" Ron asked.

"I want to do it," Draco corrected.

Ron set his things on a desk and turned sharply. "Why?"

Draco stood up and walked towards him. "Because it's the first time I've ever wanted to do anything."

"That doesn't give you the right to-"

"And you being mad at Potter doesn't give you the right to yell at me," Draco retorted, crossing his arms.

Ron sighed. "Sorry."

Draco stepped back towards another desk to sit atop it.

"It's just so maddening. He keeps on like nothing is happening and then is snogging her when my back is turned. How can he do that?"

"It takes a working tongue is all," Draco replied rather sarcastically.

"I forgot, you don't care about my feelings," Ron mocked. "Why do I even bother talking to you?"

"Because your friends turned out to be horrible people?" Draco suggested.

"They aren't horrible people," Ron corrected exhaustedly. "Hermione is just bossy and Harry's just- reckless. They mean well. I think that's why he didn't tell me in the first place. Still he should tell me now."

"Why is your sister keeping it from you then?"

"Probably for Harry."

"You know Granger's bossiness stems from the fact she thinks- well thought, you were dating," Draco shared.

"What?"

"Didn't you ever wonder why that Brown girl left you?"

"She got tired of snogging me I guessed."

"No, she was told off. The whole school was talking about it. You never heard?"

"No."

Draco rested his chin on the heal of his hand. "Suppose that's the way rumors go."

"You've had your fair share of those."

"Oh yes," Draco agreed drawlingly. "Let's not talk about those shall we?"

"What is it?" Ron asked. "That makes- made them do that? You never told."

Draco popped up onto his feet. "I don't think I will either."

"We've been going together a month. Can't you trust me?" Ron persisted.

"It's not a matter of trust," Draco argued.

"Wait, you do trust me?"

"In a way," Draco shared.

"What way?"

"A way you don't want to talk about," Draco said.

"It's not that I don't want to talk about it, it's just that you don't talk, you sort of insist-"

"Alright then, when would you like to sleep with me, Ronald Weasley?" Draco leaned closer to him. "Tonight, tomorrow, never?"

"I don't know. Why are you pushing this?" Ron nearly shouted.

"Because I want you!" Draco said sharply. They were quiet a moment, the blond came back down. "I want you. I don't know why. I don't know what will happen after. I just know I have this horrible feeling when I'm not near you and snogging isn't close enough. I need this to make it go away."

"How do you know it won't get worse?"

"I don't. But I want to try." Draco shook his head. "I can't explain it. You can't possibly understand."

"I'm not as stupid as you think I am," Ron argued.

"I don't really think you're stupid." Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "I just know you're insecure about it. Exploiting people's weaknesses is my talent," he added with an arrogant little quirk.

"And snogging, don't forget the snogging," Ron stated.

Draco might have chuckled it might have been a sigh, it was unknown to Ron. "You want to do this then?" Ron asked. "And not just because I'm the first that you've liked for more than two minutes?"

"Yes," Draco answered. "And most of them were less than two minutes."

Ron smiled weakly. He seemed to think thoroughly then nod, defeated. "Okay. But not here, not now. I'll think of something."

Draco leaned closer still. Ron thought it was for a kiss but instead he said, "The prefect bathroom."

"What?"

Draco's arms loosely clung to his shoulders. His body moving nicely into place against Ron's. "A bath, Ron."

Ron's hands crawled up the small of Draco's back. He nodded looking down into grey eyes. "Alright."

Draco moved closer until his face was in Ron's neck.

They were hugging. It was awkward and tense but at the same time comfortable. Ron weaved his arms tighter around him. Words were hanging on his tongue. They were there waiting to be said and this was the most opportune moment to say them.

Draco pulled away. "We should turn in."

"Okay." Ron nodded dumbly. He turned and picked up his things while Draco walked to the door.

Ron followed him. Draco stopped with a hand on the door. "Goodnight."

Ron leaned forward. They exchanged a short kiss that made a pit out of Ron's stomach as much as the first.

Draco opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Ron waited a short while before doing the same. He turned up the stairs and made way to the Fat Lady.

Ron stepped into the common room. The coals in the fireplace were still a kind orange. A light was still lit and two bodies appeared to be waiting for him.

They stopped their whispering and looked up. "Well," Hermione announced, "I'm going up to bed. Night." She dismissed herself with a final stare at Harry.

"What's all that about?" Ron asked.

"We need to talk," Harry said grudgingly. He moved around Ron and sank onto the sofa.

Ron looked at the brunette with a mixed attitude. He didn't want to talk about this weird thing going on but he did miss his friend. So Ron sat down with his books in his lap.

"How was studying?" Harry asked offhandedly.

"Fine," Ron shrugged.

"Oh," Harry stared at the fireplace.

"Look, mate, I-"

"You're a really good friend, Ron," Harry started. "You're my best friend and-"

"I know," Ron interrupted with a sigh.

"What?" Harry looked over at him.

"I know you're dating Ginny," Ron said.

"How do you know that?" Harry asked, sort of shocked.

"Well, I kind of- Wait, isn't that what this is about?"

"No, Hermione told me you fancied me," Harry shared.

"What?" Ron demanded.

"I know," Harry agreed. He laughed and shook his head. "I thought she was mental too. I told her you weren't gay."

Ron weakly agreed. "Right."

"But you know about me and Ginny?"

"Yeah."

"How long have you known?"

"Awhile," Ron answered. "Was just waiting for you to tell me."

"Sorry," he apologized. "We were afraid of telling you."

"Afraid of what? She's still my sister, you're still my best mate."

"And you don't fancy me," Harry added with a small laugh. "I can't believe she'd think that with you two being-"

"I don't like Hermione," Ron stated. "She's nice and all but she's just a friend."

"Oh," Harry stared off somewhere else.

"I'm going to bed," Ron announced and went for the stairs.

Harry turned out the light and followed him up the steps. They walked into the dorm room. "Who then, because Hermione said you told her-"

"Harry, don't," Ron stated. "She wasn't supposed to tell you anything."

"Why don't you want me to know?"

"The same reason you didn't tell me you were dating Ginny," Ron said.

"You'll tell me eventually though, right?"

"Maybe," Ron agreed. He smiled.

"She must be something special if you can't tell me," Harry prodded.

Ron laughed a little. "If you only knew."

Harry pulled back the covers on his bed. "Night."

Just like that things fell back into how they had been. Hermione sitting between Harry and him, laughing and sharing pointless stories.

Ginny would join them when her schedule allowed it but Harry looked at Ron after every time they kissed, almost expecting a punch in the face.

Ron found himself wishing more that Draco could do the same thing with him. Watching him across the hall was nearly painful.

After dinner Draco walked up to the owlry. Disgusting and filthy as it was he found his owl. He knew she wouldn't be getting the letter back for another week but decided to send it anyway.

He walked back into the castle under a gray sky, breathing on his hands.

Draco went into the library to sign out a book he had been waiting on for Transfiguration class. Then finally he made it to the dungeons.

He was in a relatively happy mood, feeling slightly less contempt than usual. Though no one would of known it.

Crabbe and Goyle were probably off playing a cruel joke on a lowly first year. Pansy had a boy to pester, and Zabini turned out to be straight and deeply engaged with some Ravenclaw girl.

Draco read a few passages, took a straggled amount of notes and abandoned the effort.

As time ticked by he grew more anxious about tonight's meeting. No matter how many times he glanced at the clock did it seem to move.

Draco picked up his things and walked to the dorm room. He set the book on his desk and went to his standing mirror. He looked this way, then that, fixed his hair, unfixed his hair.

"What am I doing," he asked himself with a groan. He shook his head and left the room.

Ron sighed. He put on his hand-me-down robe. Noticed another stain and took it off again.

Harry laughed looking up from his book. "Got a date?"

"I guess," Ron said. He picked up the robe again.

Harry reached for his map. Ron got to it first. "No."

"Fine." Harry released it. "Can you at least tell me what she looks like?"

"Blond," Ron offered before leaving.

Draco's body thudded against the weak green stall. Ron held him while fully exploring the other boy's mouth.

Draco moved tryingly for better angles. Ron's body felt so nice between his legs. He head touched the wall as Ron moved to his neck.

The sound of the water filling the bath was downed out by thick breaths and short sounds.

There was a girlish giggle.

They froze.

The ghost smiled. "Such naughty boys."

"Myrtle-" Ron started.

"Get lost," Draco told her.

She circled around to the other side of them, incredibly close. "I suppose I should just go tell someone that there's some naughty boys are in my bathroom," she threatened innocently, though her eyes were not so.

"What do you want?" Ron asked.

She giggled and floated towards the bath.

Draco sighed. "Fine. You can stay," Draco agreed.

"What? No she can't," Ron argued quietly.

"Ron, I don't care if a fucking ghost gets off watching us. I can't do this anymore. I need you."

"But-" Ron looked over his shoulder.

Draco grabbed him, pulling him until their lips touched again. He moved his tongue against Ron's urging him to pick up where they were interrupted. It took a fair amount of coaxing but Draco found himself pushed a little hared into the stall wall. It was a pressure that felt incredibly nice, like the one in his stomach.

"Ron," he breathed heavily.

Ron held the small of the Malfoy's back where it arched off the surface behind them. Ron's lips moved feverishly over Draco's jaw and neck. He found himself kneading Draco's spine, pulling at his shirt.

Draco groaned. He dropped his hands from Ron's shoulders to undo the school robe of offending colors and let it fall.

Ron pulled back a little, panting between them, looking down, focusing on Draco's shirt. Draco pulled at the hem of Ron's.

When their bodies touched again it was skin to skin. They both moaned and started swaying. Draco mewled soft sounds Ron had only heard muffled before.

"Oh, Ron." His fingers weaved into red hair, his body shuddering with a gasp.

"I think he likes that," the ghost girl said.

Ron stopped and stepped away. "I can't do this!"

Draco braced the wall, watching Ron pick up his shirt. "This is the craziest-"

Draco walked up behind him, sliding into an embrace. "Don't think about her. Focus on something more alive, hm?"

Ron sighed and pointed his wand at the taps, turning them off.

Draco kissed a freckled shoulder. His hands dipped down Ron's stomach. "Please. You know it's remarkable I even have to beg."

"If this is what you call begging," Ron retorted, playing with his shirt in his hands.

"Ron," Draco said softly. "Don't you want me?"

Ron stepped away from him. "I just- can't we do this some other time? Somewhere else?"

"Is someone shy?" The ghost girl jested.

Ron glared at her.

"New rule, if you're going to stay you can't talk," Draco told the ghost.

The girl looked at them with a hard stare. "Why should I?"

"Because we'll leave," Draco said. He turned to Ron. "At this point I'd be willing to take the dusty Hogwarts tower. Hell even a damn cupboard."

"Really?"

"I told you, I can't just snog you anymore. It's getting physically impossible." He held his gaze, his voice dropping to a tone of intensity.

Ron's sent, his damn sent, it burned in his nose. His body tingled. He was nearly desperate. The way he kissed his neck, breathed his name. Just thinking about- Thinking…

Draco had only done it the once. It put him in such an euphoric stupor he couldn't remember what happened the next day. But desperate times called for desperate measures as the saying goes.

"I know, it's just- This is too-"

"I know, Ron." Draco walked back to his shirt, bending down to pick it up.

_Warm hands on him, Ron behind him, hips rocking into him. Moaning, panting, writhing._

Draco felt a little light headed himself. He slid his arms into the sleeves of his shirt and turned back to Ron. He looked flushed and confused, his eyes couldn't stay on Draco's face.

_Ron over him or under him, as long as he was_ in _him_.

Draco forced his hands to steady and start on the buttons. "Maybe we can-" Before he knew it Ron was undoing the buttons he had just done and a mouth was devouring his.

Draco's shaking hands went for the belt on pants that were at least one size too big for the redhead.

_Bite me, touch me, Merlin just_- "Fuck me."

Ron grabbed his hips, pulling him forward. Draco's hands shoved away the hem of Ron's trousers, they dropped to his ankles, leaving him in a pair of off white boxers.

Draco's arms wound around freckled shoulders. He dropped away from the heated kiss to Ron's neck. He couldn't breathe.

Ron's lips fluttered against his skin, hands touching anywhere they could get.

The ghost girl was giggling, insulting them no doubt, but they couldn't stop. Draco was numb from the neck up.

He wouldn't remember every detail of this night but he failed to care at the current moment and so what if his muddled mind made things up?

At some point he lowered into the bath and waited for Ron, his blushing, freckled, nearly lover.

Ron's thumbs lingered at the hem of his boxers. He seemed on the edge of backing out.

His back was to Draco. "You can't laugh."

"At what?" Draco asked.

"Just don't," Ron insisted.

"I promise," Draco said.

"I don't," Myrtle chimed from her seat on the windowsill.

"Shut up, you," Draco told her. "Ron, if it will help, I'll cover my eyes." Draco put his hands over his face.

There was a soft rustle, muffled giggle, the bad of feet, then a gentle splash. The water swayed against Draco as Ron got closer. He felt hands on his wrested pulling them down. Draco smiled. "Glad you could join me."

Ron smiled in return. "Sorry, just not-"

"We are standing in bath water completely naked, I think an apology is unnecessary." Draco moved closer.

Ron wrapped his arms around the blond and sank down further. Draco moved with him with a delighted little gasp. "Is this what you were embarrassed about?" Draco leaned in to him, whispering softly, "I'm hard too."

The ghost girl floated down to lay on the tiled floor at the edge of the tub. "Is he."

They didn't hear her. She was just a distant notion not worth noting. Their tongues were too busy getting thoroughly acquainted, even after meeting a dozen times before.

Ron moved to get more comfortable. Draco moaned shifted on his knees. Ron fell back, unbalanced. They both laughed, though breathlessly.

Draco moved his hands to Ron's neck, tilting his chin up, letting out a ragged breath. "That actually feels-" he moved his hips testingly, "good."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. He held Draco's back, pulled him closer until their chests touched. Draco made some kind of obscure hum. Ron nuzzled the shoulder in front of him. Draco kept moving. Ron's hands explored downwards, his skin felt so nice.

His fingers followed the curve of the blonde's spine, tracing it under the water. Draco shuddered. "Ron." Draco held his shoulders. "If you're going to-" he was cut off with a gasp, arching, his head falling back. "More."

Draco tensed his hands squeezing the redhead's shoulder's tighter.

Ron took in the response, watching with a wave of heat to his groin. Draco moved with a heady sound. Ron's fingers slid further. Draco made an even better sound. His nails were practically digging into Ron's shoulders and it wasn't completely painful, it was also exciting.

Draco whimpered and relaxed again. "Now. Please. _Pease_, Ron!"

"That's begging," Ron breathed.

Draco lowered himself down with a small laugh. "Still remarkable I have to ask."

Ron's hands hooked under Draco's legs moving him through the water to a better angle in his lap.

Draco's arms folded, fingers finding ways into red hair. This is what he wanted. To be close, as close as possible, it's what he craved. His body wanted it and it felt so fucking good.

"Ron!"

"S-sorry," he hissed. "Does it hurt?"

"Looks like it does," Myrtle said.

Draco felt incredibly strange. The pain was there but the pheromones in the air made his head too light to really notice. They were getting stronger. He could feel them surge in hot waves, up his body, out of his body, in the air around them.

He bounced in Ron's lap. They moved, they moaned, they writhed. "Ron.. O-oh."

Ron grabbed his hips keeping them to his own, moving them into absolution.

Draco felt something surge, grow, well up inside his core. It was warm, it tingled, and it left him but the feeling lingered. He could feel it still but now it took up the occupied space of his and Ron's bodies together. He could feel it in Ron. Feel _Ron_.

Even though he could feel all these things they were obscured by orgasm. They were fleeting, warm, and easily confused with the other things happening.

Then he struggled to feel anything other than the hard heartbeat in his chest.

Blue eyes looked into gray, a smile, a sigh, a kiss. Draco felt these things numbly.

"That was more than fun," Ron said. He moved a little moving Draco too.

"What?" Draco asked dumbly.

Ron leaned up to kiss him again.

The ghost giggled. "Had your fun? Already?"

Draco moved off of the other boy. He shook his head, hoping to clear away the fog. It wasn't effective.

Ron kept touching him. Whether to be reassuring or what, that wasn't helpful either. Draco had no choice but to give in to another healthy snog, even if it was on the calmer side.

It was clear Ron was as spent and clouded as he was.

Myrtle declared them boring and went back to her stall.

They kissed a few more times, sort of relaxing in the bath. Draco rested his head on Ron's shoulder with a subtle yawn.

"It's getting late," Ron said.

Draco nodded and wordlessly left the comfort of the bath. He picked up a towel he had set aside. Ron picked up his own. "Does it still hurt?"

"Uncomfortable, but no," Draco shared.

Ron pulled on his clothes. "Do you feel- better?"

Draco spelled the tub to drain itself. "Yeah," he offered with a curt smile.

Ron smirked and leaned across the space between them for a kiss.

Draco looked down again to finish the last button to his appearances and then handed Ron his robe. Ron took it. Draco kissed him again. "I'm glad we did this. I do feel better, closer to you. I just wish it could last a little longer I guess."

"I'll meet you tomorrow," Ron promised.

"I know," Draco said. "Goodnight."

Ron barely got out a reply before Draco was out of the room.

The following day Ron found himself debating whether to tell Harry and Hermione what was going on. On one hand he'd have Draco in public, unless Draco decided that was entirely unbecoming, which he very well could. On the other him and his friends just got over their last tensions, adding more right away probably wouldn't go over well.

Draco did seem to be in a better mood though. He wasn't as short with Crabbe and Goyle, though by the looks of things they needed at least some direction.

"What house is she in?" Harry asked suddenly. "Can't be Gryffindor, none of the girls in our year can keep a secret." He turned to Hermione, "Sorry," and then back to Ron, "Unless she isn't in our year."

Ron sighed.

"You know secrets in Hogwarts don't stay secret for long," Hermione threatened. "Harry, where's that map?"

"Ron has it," Harry said.

"And neither of you are getting it," Ron stated.

Hermione grinned. "You have to sleep sometime, Ron."

"He's been getting in after me, as of late," Harry argued.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "Where have you been going after rounds?"

_"After?"_ Ron was tempted to ask. Instead he shook his head and stood up. "I'm going to class."

Draco was feeling much better. The emptiness he had in his chest disappeared. He did find himself thinking a dangerous amount of time on Ron. Like before, only with a few newfound fantasies, not at all in the sexual nature, which was most frightening about them.

But above all that there was still this feeling he couldn't shake. It was warm, pleasant, and if he focused on it- well, it became a problem.

Maybe he shouldn't have waited to send that letter to his mother. Because this feeling, warm and fuzzy, was unrelenting.

Draco laid out on the line of desks.

Ron sat down on one from the row next to him. "How was classes?"

"Boring." Draco rolled his head to the side to look at him.

"Are you ever entertained?" Ron asked.

"What can I say? I'm hard to please," Draco said.

"I recall you just being hard," Ron said with a smirk.

"Oh, what's this? Are _you_ making innuendos?" Draco looked back at the rafters. "Suppose now that you're no longer the blushing virgin…" The words rolled into softly changing the subject. "How was your test?"

"Fine I guess. The other day helped. How did you know I had a test and not a paper or something?"

Draco shrugged, his shoulders thudding against the desk. Truthfully he had been feeling anxious all morning and then particularly in the afternoon, like he himself was being judged. He didn't realize it until this moment and it frightened him a little.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked.

"Why?" Draco laced his fingers together and put them behind his head.

"Because you seem a bit off. If it's about last night-"

Draco sat up and swung his legs over the side of the desk. "I don't think so. I don't know. This is all so-"

"Confusing," Ron offered.

"I don't get confused," Draco objected.

"Sure feels like you are," Ron remarked.

"Did you just say you feel like I am confused?"

"Yeah," Ron said.

"Confused is a state of emotion, Ronald. You can notice someone is confused by that stupid perplexed look on their face but you cannot _feel_ their confusion," Draco told sternly. "Just like I cannot feel your anxiety over an exam I knew nothing of. We cannot feel each other's emotions and suggesting so is ridiculous."

"Now, you feel angry," Ron said with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Fuck you," Draco spat. He removed himself from the desk and walked to the windows. "This is a mess we've made here and there is no undoing it."

"We?" Ron demanded. "You're the one that wanted to have sex in the first place! I don't know what's happening here but it isn't my fault."

"Oh, yes, you are completely without blame here," Draco remarked sarcastically. "It was me and me alone in that bath."

"I wouldn't of joined you if you hadn't begged," Ron replied.

"I wouldn't of begged if you hadn't felt me up in the dungeons."

"You're the one that was insisting we snog every night."

"Because I ask doesn't mean you have to do. If I asked you to jump off the Astrology tower that night you wouldn't of."

"You don't even remember that night," Ron shot back. He paused thinking on it. "Do you remember last night?"

"Parts of it," Draco answered honestly.

"Which parts?"

Draco opened his mouth, closed it again, took a breath and replied, "Well, do you remember it?"

"Yeah," Ron said. The tone in his voice implied he was slightly insulted.

Draco turned his back to him. "How fortunate for you. Was is enjoyable?"

"Are you being serious?" Ron asked.

"Of course. From what I recall of last night's meeting it was- well, rushed."

"It was I guess."

Draco made a curious noise.

"What?" Ron asked.

"It was still good enough for me to forget it," Draco clarified.

"That makes no sense," Ron argued.

"Not to you," Draco objected. He spun around and sat himself on the desk beside the redhead.

"You forget things that are good?"

"Only the first time," Draco lied.

Ron didn't question it. The Malfoy had this queer way explaining things and Ron supposed it all had to do with this secret that was being harbored. "So if we did it again?"

"I would remember it. Why? Are you offering to repeat the events?" He looked at him with a smirk.

"Maybe," Ron said. "Though not in that bathroom. Myrtle watching made me nervous."

"Yet you still performed well." Draco leaned closer with a teasing tone.

"How would you know, you don't remember," Ron shot back.

"Guess we'll just have to do it again then," Draco concluded.

Then Ron started to suspect that this whole amnesiac business was just means to get another shag out of him, not that he was really complaining mind you. The night before had been enjoyable and Draco had been surprisingly submissive, making the experience all the more thrilling.

For once in his life he hadn't been at the bottom metaphorically, he had been in control physically. He hadn't been the sixth brother after five, the mere friend of the Boy Who Lived, or third in their trio in a rank of intelligence. He had something over Draco. They were lovers now, allowing him license to lead.

He realized Draco had just as much right but didn't think he'd act on it until his curiosity over this aspect was toughly pleased.

So right now he, Ronald Weasley, was allowed to lead the sexual escapades how he saw fit.

The days dragged on agonizingly slow, and the nights were over much too quickly. Several nights were spent merely flirting or snogging, but some varied in manners of undress.

Draco panted, moaned, arched for him, even called his name with such ecstasy Ron thought he would cum.

"Ron," Draco's voice airily supplied the name. He swallowed thickly and tried to calm down. He could feel the pheromones surging up his spine to get to his head and dull pain. He didn't want them to. He wanted to remember it this time.

Ron held his hips and thrust into him again. Draco gripped tighter to the freckled shoulders with a sound caught in his throat. He pulled himself closer and cringed into the redhead's neck. His body shook with pleasured tremors and small gasps. More waves of warm intoxication moved through him. He shook his head with a softly mumbled, "no."

Ron stopped. He moved his hands to Draco's sides, letting them drift against pale skin until they found their way to his back, that was no longer touching the now bunched and tousled school robe under them. He circled his arms around him, holding him closer still. "I'm hurting you." It wasn't a question.

Ron started to kiss any skin he could reach. He put his lips around it and began to suck softly, to distract the blond, to give him something else to focus on. Then an idea struck him. As carefully as he could he moved Draco in his arms, reaching a hand between their bodies.

Draco gasped, his hold going slack briefly. His head fell back, pleasure flooded him. He decided to give up. The veela persuasion won him over with such euphoric promises. Ron's excitement tingled in the air, against his skin, inside him, into his very core. There was no sobriety anymore.

He fell back onto the messy robe. His body relaxed, fell into it. Ron started moving again with grunts and groans, his hand still stroking Draco's erection, fueling an already pleasure drunk Slytherin.

Draco couldn't manage a single thought without some sound in it. Asking Ron to go faster or slower, harder or to lighten up a little.

Ron breathed out sultry compliments against his ear between labored breaths and pleasured sounds.

Draco's head rolled back gathering the fabric under his neck. "Ron," he moaned and hooked his leg over the other boy's hip. After the spell passed, Ron shuddering against him, the angle of their lower bodies became even more intoxicating.

The pheromones ran back down his spine, replaced by something much hotter and much more exciting. Draco arched high nearly screaming Ron's name. He covered his mouth with his arm.

Ron's hips moved into a grind, rolling against the other body. Draco's sound was muffled. Ron reached out to take his hand and pin it above his head and lay his mouth over the blond's. He struggled on his knees that were digging into the hard floor. Ron groaned into the kiss, Draco's fingers twitched lacing with Ron's.

Draco's head tipped back again with a sharp intake of breath. He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. Both of his legs now wrapped around Ron.

Ron's body moved on its own. His shoulders hunched forward, back curling up.

They came down with soft sighs. Draco's breath hitched with a small hiss as Ron withdrew from him. The redhead looked down at him with a smile. "You bite your lip when you cum."

Draco snorted at the indignity. "Well, you fuck like a cumbersome…- Weasley."

Ron shook his head and laid down beside him with a groan. His knees ached, but given how the rest of his body was still in post-orgasm bliss, it was well worth it. "I told you your insults were getting worse."

"I am not in the right mind to do any kind of abuse at the current moment. Check back with me after some more blood has returned to my brain," Draco replied. He stared up into the rafters of their classroom, Ron's sticky arm touching his so they could both fit on his school robe.

Ron's head made a heavy thud turning onto its side to look at Draco. "So you'll remember this?"

Draco looked back at him. "A good most of it."

"Most? So it's gone from parts to most?"

"I can't exactly help it," Draco defended.

"Just like you couldn't help them snogging you?" Ron asked.

"Precisely," Draco concluded dismissively, and to make sure Ron got the hint the looked back up.

Ron sighed and decided to drop the argument. He reached out, groping blindly for his own robe and wand. He vanished their mess and transfigured his robe into a blanket to put over them.

Draco breathed a humored humph. "I'm not spending the night on the floor with you."

"I know," Ron said, "I just thought it was getting a little chilly is all."

Draco let his eyes slide closed, the feeling of Ron's warmth sinking into him, pleasantly. He allowed himself to smile. He wanted Ron to kiss him then but was afraid with the contempt he had been feeding the Weasley it wouldn't happen, and he wasn't about to recall his statements.

Ron rolled onto his side.

Draco could practically feel himself being stared at. He opened his eyes. "What?"

Ron shook his head. "Nothing."

Draco felt something tug at a string in his chest, making a warm fluttering kind of sensation. "You're happy." It wasn't a question.

Ron's eyes played shy but his smile deceived him.

Draco turned onto his side, putting his hand under his head. "Ronald Weasley, please-"

"I love you."

"-don't." Draco sighed and looked at the robe-made blanket covering them. It smelt of Ron. He wanted to keep this sent on him, carry it with him. "Hand me your shirt," he ordered, sitting up and searching for his own wand.

Ron sat up as well. He turned to reach for the requested article. He handed it to the Slytherin cautiously.

Draco corrected it from its haphazard state and set it in his lap. He put his wand to it and Ron watched his homely, second-hand, shirt transfigure into a pillow case of such a rich shade of green that it had to match the ones already present in the Slytherin's dorm. "There," Draco announced as if this action settled some kind of argument. He folded it and tossed it onto his things.

"Why did you do that?"

"Why do you think I did that?"

Ron smirked wordlessly and leaned in to kiss him.

After a short snog Draco found himself pondering what it would be like to have the other boy in his bed. His sent would be residence on more than just a pillow, at least until wash day.

"Ron, if we could manage to, would you sneak down to the Slytherin dorm?"

"Why?" Ron asked dumbly.

"I would like to spend the night with you," Draco announced calmly.

"I don't know," Ron objected, "That's kind of- We could get caught easily and- I would though. Maybe. The next time you do rounds in the dungeons. I'll worry about getting out in the morning. What about your dorm-mate?"

"We can turn in before he does, draw the curtains, and not have to worry about it."

Ron nodded. "I'll think about it."

Draco conveyed a pleased smile and kissed the redhead again. He moved out of the tangle of robe and blanket to get to his clothes. Ron followed his lead and did the same.

Ron spelled his robe back into a robe. He needed it seeing as Draco stole his shirt.

Draco reclaimed his own from the floor. He inspected it carefully before putting it on. "Hogsmeade weekend this week," Draco said.

Ron nodded.

"If you can't sneak away from your friends I'll understand, but I would like to see you."

"As a date? Like a real one?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "If that's what you would like to call it."

"Not what I'd like to call it, that's what it is," Ron jested.

"Yes or no, Ronald," Draco asked shortly.

"I'll try," Ron agreed.

Draco supplied a look that said that was good enough. "Now, goodnight."

"Goodnight," Ron said in return.

With a final lingering kiss they parted ways.


	5. Chapter 5

Ron turned to follow Hermione into the courtyard where McGonagall was waiting. Instead he caught eye of a certain blond in the corridor that nodded towards the clock tower.

Ron quietly slipped away from his friends to peruse a more fun escapade. During the week they had become more brazen, sneaking away at dinner, during the quidditch match they somehow managed to find each other beneath the stands.

Ron thought this just one of those moments. He was proved wrong though.

Draco had a noticeable strictness about him. This meeting was formal.

"I received an owl from Mother," Draco shared.

"Oh?" Ron asked.

Draco stepped closer. "Our plans are called off. I need to meet with her."

"In Hogsmeade?"

"No, in London," Draco remarked sarcastically. "Yes, in Hogsmeade."

"Why?" Ron disregarded the hostility.

"Family matter," Draco answered vaguely.

Ron understood then that this was not something he was to know about. "I'll see you tonight still, right?"

"I can make no promises," Draco said.

"Alright." Ron shrugged.

"Pity," Draco muttered. He made like to brush some invisible dust from the redhead's shoulders. "You look slightly less Weasley today."

Ron smiled. "I'll still buy you something."

"Another favor? Well, I suppose anything would be better than that pitiful flower."

"You liked it," Ron argued.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. He turned towards the clock face, looking over the courtyard of students.

"I like the giver not the gift."

Ron smiled.

Draco shoved him playfully. "Don't think anything of it."

"Oh no, not thinking," he replied humorously. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Shut up," Draco retorted. His Ron-scented pillowcase was actually more relaxing than he had expected.

Ron laughed and changed the subject, "I don't think I can sneak down to your dorm." When he asked Harry if he could barrow the invisibility cloak sometime Harry replied with the map being the ultimatum.

He wasn't ready for them to know yet.

He was still letting them believe he was meeting a girl after curfew.

Ron and Draco left the clock tower, one slightly behind the other incase someone was in the corridor.

The snow crunched beneath the group of students. Hermione insisted on being told more about the secret Ron held while Ron replied with witty remarks that leaned neither way.

Draco walked behind them a ways listening and hiding his smiles.

Crabbe and Goyle did not accompany him on this trip. He was only going to meet his mother. They wouldn't be terrorizing first years, laughing at their expense. Sometimes exploiting those teenage hormones to embarrass them.

He missed those days.

After stepping into the Three Broomsticks it only took a brief moment to find his mother. She was sitting at a table with a look of complete contempt. Draco walked towards her. She changed little showingly but stood to greet him.

The hug may have been tense but the fact that it happened lead Draco to believe that his mother had good news.

"I've got us a room to speak in private," she announced.

Draco nodded and followed his mother up the stairs.

The room was small, a single bed, two chairs one with a dark green robe draped over it, and a table beside the window. She sat down and poured herself some tea. She took one sip and set it aside. "Their tea as disappointing as their décor."

Draco sat down across from her patiently waiting for the conversation to begin.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to owl back," she started.

"How was your holiday?" Draco asked.

"Just fine," she answered. "I have to tell you that I was surprised by your letter. For this to be happening while you are still so young."

"What is happening?"

"I don't blame you for not knowing. We didn't want you bonding with someone just to get it over with."

"Bond?"

"You're interrupting, dear."

"Sorry."

"Tell me did all this start when you met someone?"

"No," he said. He knew Ron before.

"Since your transformation then?" She prompted.

"I suppose," he agreed for her.

"Dear, I think you've found your mate." She allowed herself to smile. "This is wonderful. You only get one a lifetime. Who is she?"

Draco struggled to reply. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. You might not feel it now but once you bond-"

"Bond? Why do you keep saying that?"

She supplied a look that suggested she still didn't like being interrupted. Yet she still answered him. "It's the vow between mates. Usually the veela parent plays witness but I don't think your father would be enthused. I'm sure we can find away around it."

Draco blanched. "What?"

"Oh, come now, dear. It is not as big a deal as you make it out to be. It's tradition. Now who is this girl?"

Draco stood up quickly and made like to pace the room. "No. No! Are you certain that this is the only explanation?"

"Don't raise your voice, Draco," she scolded, "and yes I am certain."

"I think-" He stooped moving. "Damn that ghost," he cursed under his breath. "What if we've already bonded?"

She looked at him curiously. "Either way it's sacred and we're glad to have her in the family."

"Mother, stop saying that," Draco looked at her shyly. "He wouldn't appreciate it."

"He? Did you say he?"

Draco nodded feeling ashamed.

Narcissa slid to her feet and took her son's shoulders. "Draco," she called for him to look at her. He finally did. "It makes no difference. Your mate is your mate. As I said you only get one and it is impossible for there to be mistakes. I'm sure this boy is lovely, whom ever he is."

"It's a Weasley," Draco shared cautiously.

Her kind demeanor changed. "Weasley?"

Draco nodded again.

"Are you sure?"

"Their youngest son."

"Oh, Draco," she breathed and stepped away. "Red hair?"

"And freckles," Draco added.

"Weasleys. The filthy, lowly, muggle-loving-" she stopped herself. "I'll owl his mother. They won't be thrilled about this either but what's done is done. You are bonded with him and we need to accept it, however unpleasant it will be." She stepped closer again, kissing his forehead and then wiping away the rouge. "How long ago did you bond?"

"A week or so," Draco said.

She turned away to pick up her cloak, that she had apparently put there earlier. "You need to spend more time with him. The bond is still fresh and without the ceremony it needs every chance to get stronger."

Draco nodded obediently. Though seeing Ron was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment.

Narcissa held his shoulders again. "This really is a wonderful thing, Draco. Don't worry about your father. I'll handle everything. We might even have the ceremony anyway." She hugged him again. "Good-bye."

Draco sighed. "Good-bye, Mother."

She left the room and he walked soberly down the stairs. He put his hands in his coat pockets and walked back towards the castle.

Ron was his mate.

Ron Weasley was to be his one and only forever and ever.

Ronald fucking Weasley!

This was supposed to be a fling. This was supposed to be fun. It was meant to be a means of getting to Potter. Well, he's done that and then some, hasn't he. What a slap in the face it will be. Not only has his best mate been sleeping with his enemy but they've been bonded for life!

He ignored all else and walked down to the dungeons. He spent nearly the rest of the day in the Slytherin dorm, pensively staring at the wall his chin on his fist.

Ron felt uneasy. It stuck him while he and his friends were in Honeydukes. He started rubbing his chest. Hermione was first to notice his discomfort. It happened to follow a remark about buying sweets for his sweet unknown girlfriend.

"Are you alright, Ron?" She asked.

"Yeah," he forced unsurely. "It's just- kind of crowded in here is all." He started shoving his way to the door.

She followed him out onto the street. "Ron, what's wrong?"

He couldn't meet her eyes. "I-" The feeling faded with a sigh. There was still a weight in his gut. He shook his head. "I don't know." He started up the street towards Hogwarts.

He happened to pass Harry and Ginny snogging on a snowy bench outside one of the shops. His gut twisted in a jealousy he denied instantly.

Hermione accompanied him back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Ron, are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine," he said.

Hermione sat down and opened a book. "Why don't you work on your Charms assignment?"

"Yeah," he agreed numbly and took seat at one of the desks.

He didn't get much done. His mind wondered far too often. Eventually Hermione sat beside him to try and help. "It it about your girlfriend?"

Ron shook his head.

The common room became noisy as students came back from the trip. They complained about the cold, discussed their purchases, trading Zonkos.

Hermione looked at him to see if any of this phased him. Not a single change.

"Did she break up with you?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ron answered.

"Maybe it's something you ate," she suggested.

"Yeah," he agreed weakly.

They quietly stared at their work.

"I think I'm going to turn in," he announced. He stood and closed his books. "Can you take my rounds?"

"Sure, Ron," she agreed sympathetically.

Ron walked into his and Harry's dorm, dropped his things on his trunk, and laid down on his bed. He stared up at the canopy trying to place this heavy feeling.

It was Draco. Something was wrong. He was upset over something.

Ron sat up and moved off his bed, heading to Harry's trunk to snatch the cloak.

Instead the door opened. He turned to his own trunk acting like he was putting his robe away.

"Hey," Harry greeted.

Ron sat down on the end of his bed. "Hey."

"Hermione said you're not feeling well," Harry said.

"Yeah." He sighed.

"You've been sick a lot lately," Harry commented. "Are you okay?"

"It's just- I'm not really sick," Ron corrected.

"Oh." Harry sat down.

Ron looked at his hands. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Ron."

"What if- What if I turned out to be someone different than you thought?"

Harry looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" He wasn't entirely sure what he meant. "What if I was pretending someone I stopped being so we could stay friends?"

"Ron," Harry started. "You're my friend. You don't have to pretend to be someone you're not."

"No, Harry, I don't think you understand." Ron sighed and tried his hardest to make sense of his own thoughts before voicing them. "We've been friends for so long and I've changed but I kept it from you. Would you still be my friend after you knew the truth?"

"I'm not sure I follow. This is a bit confusing," Harry said. "You are who you are but you aren't?"

"I was," Ron corrected. He groaned loudly. "Forget it." He stood up and left the room, going back to the common room.

Hermione unfolded her legs from the sofa and sat upright so Ron could sit by her. "You look a little pale, Ron." She folded her hands over the book in her lap.

"I can't shake this feeling," he shared.

"Something bad?"

"Well, it's not good."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes. I can't- You wouldn't-" He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a secret and I promised."

"But if it's hurting you, Ron, you should tell someone," she argued.

Ron shook his head and stood up. "I can handle it." He started for the portrait.

"Where are you going?"

He left without answering, practically running down the steps and into his and Draco's classroom. He paced the aisle, wanting desperately for Draco to be put in that room with him. He wanted to kiss him, hold him, just seeing him would make this pit in his stomach go away.

But Draco never showed.

Ron collapsed into bed and thought again about stealing Harry's invisibility cloak.

Draco pulled his pillow close. The scent had faded some but it was enough to make the discomfort in his chest look elsewhere for residence.

He was in love with Ronald Weasley, the freckled, poor, muggle-loving, idiot. But he was all his and he wanted nothing more than to keep him to himself for forever and eternity.

Instinct had told him so before he even knew it. The kissing, the sex, the desire to have him in his bed. It was all part of being veela. He should of noticed sooner.

Ron woke up the next morning feeling better. He ate breakfast with his friends but couldn't keep himself from looking at Draco. They even exchanged a smile.

It was Sunday. Most were in the library or off with friends. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny stayed behind in the Gryffindor common room. Few Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs wondered in and out but mostly they had chess and if the mood so struck school work.

Ron was getting more used to seeing Harry and Ginny as a couple. What had happened yesterday was a curiosity to him.

"What were you trying to tell me last night, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Nothing," Ron answered. "It's not important anymore."

"Did you go to see her then?" Hermione asked hopefully. "Did you talk?"

"Who?" Ginny asked.

"Your brother has a girlfriend," Hermione shared happily.

"I do not," Ron denied sourly.

"What's her name?" Ginny asked.

"We don't know. He's being awful secretive."

"Ron?" Ginny snorted, "secretive?"

"What's so surprising about that?" Ron defended. "I can have secrets."

"No, you can't, Ron," Ginny argued. "You tattled all the time on Fred and George."

"That's different," Ron argued.

"They even threatened you," she went on.

"Mum's a lot more threatening," Ron stated.

"Speaking of," Hermione pointed to the window. "Isn't that your family's owl?"

Ginny got out of her chair to retrieve the letter. "Thank you, Errol," she told the bird. "Ron, it's for you. Looks like a howler."

"But I haven't done anything," Ron argued.

Ginny shrugged. "Better open it."

Ron looked up at the few people in the common room.

"It'll only get worse," Neville said. "Go on."

Ron turned the red envelope over in his hands, trying to think of something he had done worth a howler. He looked up again, took a deep breath, and broke the seal.

"How dare you, Ronald Weasley!" His mother's voice boomed. "School is for LEARNING! How could you do this to us? BONDING with a VEELA! I told you to stay away from that boy! A veela, Ron? A veela! After all the nonsense your brother Bill went through with the lot and she was only a quarter! You are lucky I don't call you home right now! Just you wait until you come home for break young man! Bonding! You are too young! This is the most irresponsible thing you have ever done!" Her rant went on.

Ron stared at the raving letter and then in the air it had been in after it burst into flames.

His friends were staring at him. Harry was the fist so say anything. "What?"

Hermione sat up further, looking over the back of the couch. "You've been sneaking off with a veela?"

"N-no," Ron argued. "He-" Ron pushed his chair back and stood up. "That fucking- How could he not tell me!"

"Ron, what's going on?" Harry asked.

"This is the worst case of entrapment," Ron said angrily.

"How can you not know you're dating a veela?" Hermione asked.

"Well you thought he was just a whore too," Ron defended.

They went quiet. For a long second Ron's friends and sister stared at him.

"Malfoy?" Hermione asked. She climbed off the couch quickly. "You've bonded with Malfoy?"

Ron didn't answer.

"What's- I don't understand," Harry said.

"Veela mate for life," Ron shared.

"But how did you-"

Ginny gave a warning stare.

"He's who you've been sneaking off with?" Hermione demanded.

"Yeah…"

Ginny gave Ron a shove. "Why didn't you tell us!"

"Well, I-"

There was the sound of a person clearing their throat. The Gryffindors turned to the entranceway of the common room where a blond seventh year Slytherin stood. "Ron," he addressed.

Ron moved around his sister and through the room, taking Draco's arm and walking them out through the portrait. "Why didn't you tell me you were a veela?"

"So you know," Draco said.

"No thanks to you. You should of told me."

"I didn't know," Draco defended.

"Didn't know? How can you not know you're a fucking veela! Isn't this what you have been keeping secret?"

"Well, yes. I knew _that_ but I didn't know we'd be bonded for life," Draco argued strongly.

"What? You're the _veela_!"

Draco sighed impatiently. "I was never told! Now, we can continue arguing over this or accept it."

Ron noticeably calmed down. "Still, why didn't you tell me you were veela?"

"Because it's a family secret," Draco said. "Can we-?" He looked around the hall and students coming up the stairs.

"Yeah sure." Ron took his hand a lot more gently than he had his arm and started back into the common room. They crossed the room of staring bodies towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Hermione all but scolded instantly.

"To talk in private," Ron supplied without stopping.

"Butt out Granger," Draco added before they disappeared up the steps.

"I don't know if I like this," Hermione said.

"I know," Ginny stood by her side.

"Guess you were right, Hermione. Well, half anyway." Harry looked towards her.

"Not really a circumstance where being right is a good thing."

Ron closed the door.

"Which bed is yours?" Draco asked.

Ron pointed.

Draco welcomed himself to sit on the Gryffindor colors. Ron sat down beside him. The room was filled with a tense silence. "So…" Ron started.

"Now that you know you must understand more."

"A little," Ron agreed. He turned towards him, bringing a leg up onto the bed. "This is why you wanted to sleep with me so badly."

Draco nodded. "My body knew you were my mate before I did."

"And Myrtle was our witness," Ron added.

"Funny how things work out." Draco smiled. "How do you know so much about this?"

"My brother Bill married into it. I overheard a few conversations."

Draco hummed thoughtfully. "You are okay with this then? I was- for lack of a better word- upset when I first found out."

"So that's why I felt strange yesterday." Ron smiled.

Draco rolled his eyes and fell back on the bed to stare up at the lion on the canopy. "I can't believe this."

"You thought this was just a fling?"

"Well no, but I didn't think it would last a lifetime."

Ron laid down on his side, his head propped on his hand. "Yeah."

Draco looked at him. "There's no way out of it though."

"I don't know if I really want one," Ron shared.

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, so I was angry at first but, I don't know. Bill told me once that if a veela picks you that's it. And you're not all that-"

Draco maneuvered himself closer for a kiss. It only lasted a short while. Long enough for the briefest touches of tongues. "What was that for?" Ron asked.

Draco grinned. "We never finished bonding."

"We haven't?"

Draco shook his head. "There's a lot more too it than sex."

"What else do I have to do then?" Ron moved closer.

Draco gave a smile. "If you really want to-"

Ron reached across the other body to push himself up and kiss the blond. "Either we bond or we don't. There is no half way about this."

Draco ran his fingers though red hair. "No, there's not," Draco agreed. He sighed softly. "It wouldn't be that terrible."

Ron smiled. "So how do we finish bonding?"

"We have to spend more time together."

"That's it?"

"And a small ceremony involving a Ministry official."

"Bill and Fleur never had to do that," Ron pointed.

"Were you at their wedding?"

"Of course."

"Was is a minister marrying them?"

"I don't- I'm guessing no."

"Veela fall under the same code as werewolves. The Ministry likes to know where we are and how we're effecting the wizarding world."

"So we have to get married?"

"In a sense yes," Draco shared. "I don't think the ceremony is urgent either. So we can go on unbonded for quite some time."

Ron nodded. "I think some time to really think adjust to this would be nice."

"It would be," Draco stated.

Ron moved down to kiss him again.

The door opened with a clatter. Ron jumped off the bed entirely and Draco sat up.

Hermione rubbed her ankle with a tense laugh. "Oops." The students behind her stared as if expecting to be hexed.

Draco sighed. "I should be going anyway." He slid off the bed and started past Ron.

"But, I thought you said we had to-"

"Spend time together, Ron," Draco corrected. "We've already covered the physical part." He smiled and continued out, purposefully ignoring every other presence.

"Are you crazy?" Hermione marched forward.

"What?" Ron asked innocently.

"You were _not_ talking," she scolded.

"What's it matter? We're practically married now," Ron argued.

"All but married," she argued.

"How do you know so much about this? Read a book?"

"As a matter of fact yes." She crossed her arms. "And I can't believe I hadn't noticed sooner." He was nearly kicking herself.

Ron rolled his eyes. He looked at the group. "Oi, Seamus, when can I collect on that bet?"


	6. Chapter 6

The first thing Molly Weasley did when she saw her son step off the Hogwarts express was grab his ear. "What were you thinking?" She dropped him just as quickly. "I know very well what you were thinking. You boys and your-" She made a disgusted sound and pointed. "Go get your trunk and meet your father in the car."

Molly then looked at the messy haired brunette accompanying her daughter. "Hello, Harry dear. We've gotten things all set up for you at the burrow.

Ron was less than relieved to see his father wasn't the only family member to meet them at the train station. The twins were leaning against the blue Ford Anglia with matching smirks.

Fed elbowed his brother. "A little different than the last time we saw him, aye, George?"

"Now that you mention it," George drawled. "There is a certain glow about him."

They both laughed.

Ron glared and tossed his trunk in the back of the car.

Arthur offered to help him. "Hello, Ron. How was school?"

"Fine," Ron answered.

"Your mum and I had a chat with the Malfoys."

Ron sighed. "I'm really sorry. I didn't-"

"Quite alright." He patted Ron's shoulder. "My you're getting tall aren't you?"

Ginny, Harry, and Molly made their way to the car. Ginny saw her older brothers and sighed. "What're you doing here?"

"You could be a little nicer," Fred commented.

"Haven't seen us for months."

"Guess it wasn't long enough to miss you," Harry added.

"Oh," Fed said painfully. "We know when we're not wanted."

"Then what's been keeping you around all these years?" Ginny shot back with a smile.

Arthur was walking away with his hand on Ron's shoulder, guiding him along. Ron looked back to see if anyone was watching them. "I wanted to give you a chance to explain, Ron," Arthur shared. He brought both his hands behind his back.

Ron looked at the ground. "I didn't know," he started. "That that is what he is. I didn't know he is a veela."

"I figured as much." Arthur nodded. "It's our fault really. It's a well known secret, though Lucius likes to pretend it's not. I imagine Draco does too." He paused. "I'm sorry you've fallen victim to this."

"Victim?" Ron asked.

Arthur stopped and looked at Ron. "Veelas have a certain-… power to-"

"I know," Ron interrupted. "I just don't think he used it. Well, he might have but he didn't have to."

Arthur looked at him curiously. "What are you saying, Ron?"

Ron sighed. "He told me he came into his powers before fifth year. I sorta liked him before then," Ron admitted sheepishly. "But I- I didn't want- I know you told me to stay away from him so I did. I tried to. Then I don't know, I talked to him once and just couldn't keep away anymore."

"As long as you're sure this is what you want."

Ron nodded and smiled. "I love him."

Arthur looked towards the group they had left behind when Molly called. "I'm happy for you, Ron, and so is your mother. Even if she doesn't show it," he added with a grin.

They started walking back towards the car.

"Ow! George!" Ginny shoved her brother in the back seat of the car.

George ignored her and continued compromising her comfort to talk to his younger brother. "Did you really_ bond_ with him?"

"George!" Molly scolded.

"What? I'm just curious. Who is he to know what they did or didn't do," George defended.

"It's none of our business anyway," Molly said.

"Well, isn't this new," Fred commented. "You were just as curious an hour ago."

"I was not," Molly argued. "Now if you boys don't stop-"

"We do to know what we were doing!" Ron defended.

"Ronald!" Molly shouted.

"Some things are better left unsaid," Arthur added.

The car was quiet. Ginny finally succeeded in pushing her brother off her. They all suspected the rest of the ride would remain that way until Fred leaned forward. "How was it?"

"George Weasley, if you don't-"

"I'm Fred," Fred argued. "George started it."

"Either way, this is not appropriate conversation. How has school been, Harry, Ginny?" Molly asked quickly.

"We all know how Ron's been."

"I said enough," Molly reminded. "Harry?"

"Oh, um, school's been good, Mrs. Weasley," Harry answered.

"George," Ginny whined, elbowing her brother and shoving at him.

"It's either you or Fred and I'd rather not sit on Fred," George defended. "Just because Ron enjoys sitting on-"

Ron reached towards his brother violently. "Shut up!"

George laughed and leaned back. Their struggles turned the backseat into a war zone of insults and cruses, from the actual fighters and victims literally trapped in the middle.

Molly decidedly ignored them.

"Boys," Arthur tried.

"Get him, George!" Fred cheered.

"Ouch! Ron!" Ginny shouted.

Harry laughed and tried to get out of the way.

"You're bloody dead!" Ron threatened.

Finally, after a long while of this the car finally landed in the drive of the crooked, staggered farm house. Ron and George fell out of the car wrestling, Fred spurring them on.

"Grow up," Ginny said, stepping over them.

"Come on, Ron," Harry encouraged. "They're just picking."

George laughed in victory. "Pinned." He was a little out of breath. "Sure you're used to it."

"Actually." Ron struggled. "I pin him."

"Well, that's just unlikely," Fred concluded.

George laughed and got up and offered a hand to help Ron off the snowy ground with a smile. Ron looked at him skeptically but took the offer. Once he was to his feet and trying to brush himself off his older brother gave him a gentle shove and he wound up back on the ground.

The twins laughed and started for the house. Fred turned back briefly. "Can't wait for the wedding!"

Ron mumbled under his breath, got his trunk, and went inside.

He walked into his and Harry's shared room to abandon his things and maybe even change, seeing as his clothes were now soaked from the snow.

Harry was sitting on his bed. He was awkwardly rolling and unrolling a pair of socks. Ron assumed he had been working on unpacking when a thought came to life that became more pressing.

Ron was still grumbling as he made to remove a few of his things from his trunk.

"I was a little curious myself," Harry admitted suddenly. "I just- I didn't think you'd want to talk about it. And-"

Ron groaned. "Mate, if you're going to ask me how we-"

"No, nothing like that. Just how long have you been seeing Malfoy, and why you even started."

"Oh. Well, we've been together nearly two months now," Ron shared. "It started one night when I was doing rounds in the dungeons. I was kind of lost and he helped me out."

"That's it then?"

"Yeah." Ron shrugged. "I didn't tell you because I knew you didn't like him, with all the fights you two got into and Hermione, I thought she'd murder me. He's actually not that bad though, well to me anyway."

"Have you always liked blokes?" Harry asked.

Ron paused to think. "No, not really I guess. I've always been curious then when I dated Lavender I knew."

"So it's not- You never- I mean- This is going to sound really bad." Harry sighed.

Ron sat down on his bed. "What is it?"

"In our dorm room or the showers, you've never-"

"No," Ron answered. "Oddly Draco's the only bloke I've ever been attracted to."

"That's weird isn't it?"

"I don't know. Maybe it means I really am his mate."

There was a thud on the wall beside the door. One of the twins popped his head in. "Oi, Mum says to come downstairs."

Ron and Harry got up from their beds and walked out of the room.

Ron was the first of them to brace the landing and receive a very big shock. Looking through the doorway he saw Lucius Malfoy was standing by their table, looking down his nose at anything and everything.

The twins laughed. "So worth that face." They started walking back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked.

"He's your father-in-law, not ours," George replied jestingly and they continued up the steps.

Harry stayed in the sitting room not offering to go any further.

Ron walked into the other room.

The rest of the Malfoy clan was absent. It was just Lucius.

"Can I get you anything?" Molly asked mannerly enough.

"No thank you," he replied without as much. He noticed the youngest Weasley. "Ronald I presume?"

Ron nodded.

Lucius sighed, or rather it could have been a sigh, either way he seemed less than impressed. He welcomed himself to a seat at the table. He rested his ankle on his knee and the snake head of his cane under the palm of his hand. He was a daunting figure even when sitting down.

"Draco was not fully informed. I'm here to retract anything he may have told you or tell you what he did not," Lucius shared. "I also wanted to meet you."

Ron looked at his parents.

Arthur smiled awkwardly. "We'll just-" He pointed towards the other room. "Come on, Molly."

"Just call if you need anything," Molly insisted on her way out.

Their whispers of concern could be heard.

Ron sat down at the table a good length away from the man.

Lucius rolled his cane gracefully, his fingers curling and uncurling around the snake. "You are seventeen?"

Ron nodded.

Lucius looked at him critically, disdainfully. He certainly was not happy with the recent events. "You understand what is happening in regards to Draco and our blood line?"

Ron nodded again. "Yes. I think so."

"Draco seems very fond of you so I will not interrupt the process unless you are uncertain. Nothing is set in stone," Lucius said. "It can be undone, though it will not be a pleasant experience for the either of you."

"What? I thought-"

"We mate for life certainly, but there is no rule stating we only receive one. Generally speaking once one is found the searching is concluded. Draco could have another mate, he could not. We won't know unless we terminate your bond."

"But he might not have another?" Ron both argued and questioned.

"There is that chance."

"And it makes no difference? If he bonds with me or someone else its just as strong, right?"

"I wouldn't know."

"What if you do terminate this and he doesn't find anyone else?"

Lucius looked pensive and disappointed. "Veela without mates do not live long."

Ron nodded. "I'll stay with Draco then."

Lucius sighed/not sighed again. "Very well. We'll keep in touch." He stood and walked back out of the front door without a lingering goodbye.

Ron stayed looking at the door. Was Lucius that conceited that he'd rather his son die than call a Weasley family?

"Are you sure, dear?" Molly asked coming back into the kitchen, revealing that she had been listening the whole time.

Ron nodded. "Yes. He's not that bad," he seemed to force making it unbelievable.

Molly sighed but didn't say anything else.

Ron walked out of the kitchen and went up the steps. One thing was very clear. He did not like Lucius Malfoy at all.

Harry was back in the room, shooed there by Mrs. Weasley.

"How'd it go?"

"I'm going through with it. I'm going to finish bonding with Draco Malfoy."

"Was there a choice?" Harry asked unsurely.

"Apparently noting is set in stone." Ron shrugged.

Lucius walked into the Manor, tossing his cloak at the house elf.

"How did it go?" Narcissa asked in concern.

Lucius kept walking. "Where is he?"

"In his room, unpacking. Lucius, what happened?"

"He accepted," Lucius stated.

Narcissa covered her mouth with her hand to hide her dismay.

Lucius walked past her and went up the stairs. The paintings on the walls were whispering and gossiping about this news, giving him their passing condolences on his son's mistake.

He didn't knock, he opened Draco's bedroom door and invited himself in.

Draco was in his closet, putting up his clothes. He walked out to fetch to the rest of his things. "Evening, Father. Where did you go?"

"We need to discuss a few things," Lucius stated darkly.

Draco stopped in the middle of his task.

His father lead him to a set of ornate green chairs beside the fireplace.

Draco's room came with all the amenities of a guest bedroom, though his was smaller in comparison.

"I went to the Weasleys'," Lucius shared. "I spoke with Ronald."

Draco nodded. He assumed as much.

Lucius put his chin on his hand, staring at the wall pensively. "Perhaps I've let this go on too long. Perhaps I've indulged you too much…"

"Father?"

"Of course, it is not unusual… Veela men… Oh how I feared this day."

"I don't understand," Draco said.

"You have cousins that share your burden. They reside within their veela colonies outside of the wizarding community. Veela women being so strong and overbearing, the men tend to turn to each other. I had hoped that being half breed and as exposed to the gentle witches as I was, you could avoid this."

"He accepted then," Draco concluded.

Lucius sighed, stood up, and walked out of his son's room, leaving behind a resounding, 'yes.'


End file.
